African- American astronomer and professor whose solid, comforting presence helps calm the turbulence of Maya's adolescence. When Popo dies of cancer, Maya comes undone and turns to drugs, alcohol, and petty crime. When she becomes lost in the dangerous underworld of Las Vegas, Maya becomes caught in the crosshairs of deadly warring forces. Her one chance for survival is Nini, who helps her escape to a remote island off the coast of Chile. Here, Maya tries to make sense of the past to discover the truth about her life and her family, and embarks on her greatest adventure: a journey of self-discovery and forgiveness.