A young woman named Esmeralda and her family move to New York from a rural area of Puerto Rico. The transition is difficult due to the many challenges she and her family face. Esmeralda Santiago (Ana Maria Lagasca) takes on the life roles of daughter, student and translator for her family. She excels at everything she does, and then she trains to become a stage actress after prompting from her high school guidance counselor. She encounters struggles in the pursuit of her dreams, yet the challenges give her the life experience to become a great actress and writer.