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Zara Coleman

Zara Coleman was the youngest child of Nia and Joseph “Jo” Coleman. Born around 2002 in Hampton, Virginia, she was twelve and attended middle school in December 2014. Her older siblings were Parker, Tillie, and Jada. She asked plainly about Parker’s illness while the rest of the family struggled to voice the same fear.

Early Life and Family

Zara was approximately two when Jo died and had no direct memories of him. She knew her father through family stories and the memories her older siblings could share. Parker had watched Jo’s illness and death; Tillie and Jada retained memories of him to different degrees. Zara knew what had happened without being able to remember Jo herself.

She remained in the Hampton household with Nia, Tillie, and Jada after Parker left for Georgetown. Jada and Zara shared a bedroom after Parker insisted that Tillie take his former room. Zara missed Parker when he was away and wore one of the oversized shirts he had left behind.

Main article: Coleman Family Tree

Personality and Communication

Zara expressed excitement openly and asked direct questions when she was frightened. She was also attentive to Nia’s face and noticed when her mother was upset, even after Nia tried to compose herself. During the family’s worry over Parker, she asked about his biopsy, whether he would be home for Christmas, and whether he might die as Jo had. She wanted to hear Parker’s voice, not only an account of his condition from someone else.

December 2014

Worry About Parker

One evening, Zara came downstairs while Nia was making coffee in the family’s galley kitchen. Her hair was in two puffs, and she wore one of Parker’s old shirts. She saw that Nia was upset and asked if Parker was all right. After asking about his biopsy and saying she missed him, Zara asked, “Mama, is Parker gonna die like Daddy did?” Jo had died from complications of hemophilia; Parker was dealing with a separate blood disorder. Both involved blood, and Zara feared losing her brother as the family had lost Jo.

Nia put her hands on Zara’s shoulders and told her Parker was sick, receiving care, and would be okay. Zara asked if they could call him the next day. Nia agreed, and Zara gave her a quick, tight hug before going back upstairs.

Dinah’s Care Packages

The following afternoon, four large care packages from Dinah Morgan arrived at the Coleman house, one addressed to each of Nia and her daughters. Zara was so eager to open hers that she got to her box first. She pulled out a thick, soft blanket, buried her face in it, and said, “Mama, this feels like a cloud.” Each girl’s box also held a winter coat, gloves and a hat, favorite chocolate and snacks, and an envelope with gift cards and cash. Zara later held her gift cards as though they might disappear and asked Nia whether they could keep everything. Nia told her the gifts were theirs.

Dinah’s earlier packages to Nia had been smaller. The four large boxes gave Zara room to be delighted by a gift meant for her, even as Parker’s health remained a worry in the household.

Family and Core Relationships

Nia Coleman

Nia was Zara’s mother and sole parent after Jo’s death. Zara noticed when Nia was distressed and turned to her with questions about Parker that Nia could not answer with certainty. She accepted her mother’s comfort and still asked to speak with him herself.

Parker Coleman

Parker was Zara’s eldest sibling and lived in the Washington, D.C., area by 2014. He remained financially and emotionally involved with the Hampton household despite the distance. Zara missed him, wore his old shirt, and wanted to call him during his illness.

Tillie and Jada Coleman

Tillie and Jada were Zara’s older sisters. All three remained in the Hampton household during the December 2014 care-package sequence.

Joseph “Jo” Coleman

Zara did not remember Jo, who died when she was two. She learned about him through the family members who had known him. His death gave her a reason to fear that Parker’s blood disorder might take him away too, despite the medical differences between their conditions.

Characters Supporting Characters Living Characters Black Characters Black American Characters Coleman Family