Mama loves Esperanza and is extremely proud of her. Her hopes are that Esperanza will use her opportunities to better her life. She wants her daughter to have the things she does not.
"I could've been somebody, you know? Esperanza, you go to school. Study hard.... Shame is a bad thing, you know. It keeps you down. You want to know why I quit school? Because I didn't have nice clothes. No clothes, but I had brains."
Nenny, Esperanza's little sister, loves and adores her. Esperanza is her companion and protector, and often, when Esperanza gets herself into trouble, Nenny will be right there to step in and fight alongside her.