A Thousand and One

As Inez de la Paz (played by) steps out of the prison gates onto Rikers Island in 1994, she's met with a stark reality: her son Terry, now a young boy, is struggling to find stability in his foster home. The streets of Brooklyn hold little comfort for them, and Inez's own demons threaten to consume her as she visits Terry at the hospital, only to be confronted by the painful truth that he remembers her abandoning him on a street corner when he was just two years old.

The weight of this revelation crushes Inez, who had hoped to keep her past hidden. As Terry prepares to move into yet another foster home, Inez seizes the opportunity to reconnect with her son, determined to make amends for past mistakes. With an impulsive decision, she decides to take matters into her own hands and abducts Terry from the hospital, fleeing to the streets of Harlem, a neighborhood that holds dear memories of her childhood.

As they navigate a series of precarious living arrangements, Inez saves up enough money from her new job at a nursing home to secure a small apartment. It's during a candid conversation with Ms. Annie, her landlord, that Inez opens up about the devastating impact of the crack epidemic on her family, revealing the depth of her emotional scars.

As she works to rebuild her life and provide for Terry, Inez concocts a false birth certificate and social security card for her son, allowing him to enroll in school. She also rekindles an old flame with Lucky, a fellow thief, and the two get married, with Lucky promising to care for Terry despite his own troubled past.

Together, Inez and Lucky pin their hopes on Mayor Rudy Giuliani's promise of a better future for New York City, believing that it will offer their son a more stable upbringing. However, as the years pass, Harlem continues to transform, grappling with widespread police brutality, which culminates in the introduction of stop-and-frisk policies by 2001.

Despite the turmoil at home and the constant harassment from authorities, Terry proves to be a bright student, excelling in his studies and earning recommendations for placement in a specialized STEM-based school. As Inez navigates the challenges of motherhood, marriage, and life on the margins, she must confront the harsh realities of her environment, all while striving to create a brighter future for herself and Terry.

As the prospect of pursuing his dream of becoming a composer beckons, Terry is torn between his artistic aspirations and the pressing need to appease Inez and Lucky's wishes for a better life. Despite initial reservations, he agrees to sit the placement exam, ultimately convincing himself to take the leap with Lucky's unwavering support. Meanwhile, the Harlem landscape undergoes significant transformations as Michael Bloomberg takes the reins as mayor, marking the beginning of a new era that ushers in a wave of gentrification, characterized by the demolition of local institutions and the rise of upscale chain stores and luxury developments.

As Terry's future begins to take shape, his mentor Lucky faces an existential crisis, quietly succumbing to cancer within the hospital walls. Against this backdrop, Terry prepares for college, grappling with the impending loss of his home as their landlord attempts to evict them from the apartment. When Terry's guidance counselor requests proof of identity, he reluctantly furnishes forged documents without confiding in Inez. However, upon discovery that the papers are invalid, Terry is forced to reveal the deception, prompting the counselor to alert social services.

Terry's world is turned upside down as he learns the shocking truth: Inez, his supposed mother, is not biologically related to him after all. This revelation leads to a series of events that culminates in Terry being taken away from her care and placed in another home. Seeking solace with Kim, Inez's best friend, Terry makes a daring escape back to the apartment just as Inez is packing up her belongings. With tears streaming down her face, she confesses that she may not be his biological mother but has come to regard him as her own son.

Terry, though heartbroken by the truth, affirms his love and gratitude for Inez's unwavering devotion over the years. The two part ways once more, leaving Terry to ponder his uncertain future as he steps into a taxi, ready to face whatever lies ahead. Before departing, Inez tenderly whispers, "this isn't goodbye," casting a glimmer of hope for their complex and ever-evolving relationship.