Parents' Guide to Shut Up, This Is Serious

SHUT UP, THIS IS SERIOUS is set in a working class neighborhood of Oakland, California. Belén and Leti, both children of Mexican immigrants, have been best friends since sixth grade. But they're taking very different paths their senior year in high school. Leti's an academic superstar with a schedule filled with AP classes and a heart set on winning a scholarship to UC Berkeley. Belén's still reeling from the aftermath of her father deserting the family and has all but stopped attending her classes. But Leti's carefully planned future is in danger of being derailed when she and her boyfriend Quentin, who's also an academic star with big dreams, become pregnant. They've been secretly dating as Quentin is Black and Leti's parents are racists who would never accept a baby with a Black father. Despite seeing the consequences of Leti having sex, Belén is intent on losing her virginity -- which she does with Alexis, a sophomore at Berkeley. They begin meeting for sex that leaves her feeling both guilty and emotionally empty. When Belén learns there's still a chance she can graduate, she has some hard choices to make. If she can commit to putting in the work needed to do an outstanding job on the Personal Statement essay required of all seniors, she'll have the grades she needs. So she pairs up in a study group with her new friend Ali, who's determined his Statement will be good enough to earn him a life-changing scholarship. As the school year winds down, there's a disastrous meeting between Leti and Quentin's parents, Belén confronts the emotional damage left by her father's desertion, Leti's baby is born, and there are huge decisions for Belén, Leti, Quentin, and Ali to make about their futures.