Alike (pronounced "ah-lee-kay") is a 17-year-old African-American woman who lives with her parents and younger sister in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood, and she is quietly but firmly embracing her identity as a lesbian.

With the support of her best friend Laura, Alike is especially eager to find a girlfriend. Wondering how much she can confide in her family, she strives to get through adolescence with grace, humor, and tenacity -- sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, but always moving forward.