Jackie Kay
Jackie Kay was the daughter of a nurse and a Nigerian student. Her parents gave her to adoption because they didn't marry owing to their racial differences. She is considered as a sin by her parents and they gave away their sin to an adoption agency. The agency gave her to a couple who had already adopted another child, who was a boy. Jackie's foster parents loved her and she lived a happy life. She never felt the need of her birth parents because of the care and nurturing from her foster patents. But the identity crisis left a vacuum for her birth parents and she yearned to meet them. She moved to Nigeria in order to find her father whom she used to imagine in her dreams. After meeting her parents, she realizes that they do not want her but she achieves her sense of identity
Elizabeth
Elizabeth was Jackie Kay's mother who was a nurse. She belonged to a Catholic community who had strict rules regarding marriage. She knew that it would be unacceptable in her community to have a child with an African man so she gave her child away. After abandoning Kay, she joined Mormon church and denied her past sins. She got indulged herself in church in order to avoid her sinful past. When Kay contacts her, she refuses to meet her because she doesn't want to come across her guilt and sin.
Jonathan
Jonathan was Kay's biological father who was a Nigerian student studying in Aberdeen university. During his studies, he fell in love with the nurse Elizabeth but they didn't marry. They abandoned their child and Jonathan went back to Nigeria where he became a born again Christian. He found solace in church and faith for avoiding the guilt of his past. When Kay asks him to meet her, he refuses to accept her as his daughter and agrees to meet her only if she would allow her to pray for hours during their meeting. He refers to Kay as a sin and spends two hours in praying for her. He says that he has nothing to do with his past sin and thinks of Kay as an iniquity which he hide for years. He believes that Kay is not as religious as she should be. He thinks that she would have devoted her life to Christ because she was the product of a sin.
Foster Parents
Jackie Kay's foster parents were very compassionate human beings. They didn't have their own child so they contacted the adoption agencies. The agencies were governed by religious authorities so they found much difficulty in adoption. Before Kay, they adopted a boy and later on they were called by the agency to adopt Kay. Both the parents loved their adopted child and they left no stone unturned in their upbringing. Kay considers them as a source of strength for her as they always assisted her in all matters of life. Her foster mother helped her even in finding her biological parents.
Sisters
Jackie Kay had two birth sisters who look just like her. After meeting them, she realizes that she has achieved her sense of identity and culture through them. Their features and facial expressions were identical to Kay and she became very glad after finding them.
Maxie
Maxie was Kay's brother whom her foster patents adopted before her adoption. She remembers his live for her and the precious memories which they had with their foster parents. Kay's foster family was a symbol of love and support for her.
