Gabriela Amerth

A young man, plagued by the music in his head, has to come to terms with an uncertain future while balancing love, family and Brazilian culture in Newark, New Jersey.

Elaine is a spunky eight year old, living with her Mom, Dad, and three half-siblings as one of the only Puerto Rican families in the welfare projects of Brownsville, Brooklyn, in 1980s New York City. Her best friends are her intellectually disabled aunt, Elizabeth, and her musically gifted, salsa-loving father, Manny. Elaine idolizes her father and is incredibly proud that she has inherited his artististic ways. Through Elaine’s young eyes, life is perfect. But everything comes crashing down when she discovers a tragic truth that will affect her life forever.

Set against the vibrant yet challenging backdrop of her urban neighborhood, the complexities of adolescence are explored as Elaine faces an unexpected upheaval in her life due to her father, Manny, an aspiring salsa musician whose struggles lead him away from his family.​

Elaine is a spunky eight year old, living with her Mom, Dad, and three half-siblings as one of the only Puerto Rican families in the welfare projects of Brownsville, Brooklyn, in 1980s New York City. Her best friends are her intellectually disabled aunt, Elizabeth, and her musically gifted, salsa-loving father, Manny. Elaine idolizes her father and is incredibly proud that she has inherited his artististic ways. Through Elaine’s young eyes, life is perfect. But everything comes crashing down when she discovers a tragic truth that will affect her life forever.