In the Puerto Rican neighborhood of Chicago's Humboldt Park, lies interwoven tales of passion, violence and betrayal. From the overambitious beauty queen who will do whatever it takes to win to the drug dealers.

Slice of life in a Chicago neighborhood of Puerto Ricans, or boricuas. Tata wants to win a beauty pageant, Germán wants to succeed in real estate: both have few scruples. Lola is a college student who may get involved with Willy, a macho drug dealer. Violence simmers close to the surface. Family honor, saving face, unscrupulous choices, the longing for love, and a baseball autographed by Roberto Clemente figure in how events play out.—<[email protected]>