Starr feels that she has to act like two different people when at Williamson Prep and Garden Heights. She describes herself as being proper and patient at Williamson Prep so she is not seen as a "ghetto" girl, but then she is sassy, loud, and more herself in Garden Heights.

Starr has many internal conflicts with dating Chris. Chris is white and comes from a wealthy family near Williamson Prep. Her father, Maverick, doesn't like it when Black people date white people, so it takes Starr a long time to come clean to her dad.

She also battles between the racial divide and the fact that the cop who killed Khalil is white like Chris. She is scared to testify before the Grand Jury because she feels she will receive death threats or even be targeted by the police. She is also afraid to "dry snitch" on the King Lord when talking about Khalil's reasoning for selling drugs. She's afraid that she will put her family in danger but eventually goes and tells her side of the story.