Thomas Frank: A drummer at the powwow, he formerly worked at the Indian Center as a janitor.She returns to Oakland after five years living in Oklahoma, and is the head of the powwow committee. Blue: The daughter of Jacquie and Harvey, she was adopted by white parents and raised in the suburbs.Daniel is a coder, and shows Octavio what 3D printing can do. Daniel Gonzales: Octavio's cousin and younger brother of Manny, who has been killed.His uncle Sixto caused the deaths of most of Octavio's family. Octavio Gomez: A drug dealer, he lives with his grandmother Josefina.He takes his younger brothers to the Big Oakland Powwow, where he will dance in public for the first time. Orvil Red Feather: 14 years old, he has taught himself to dance by watching YouTube.

After a chance meeting in Phoenix with Harvey, she decides to return home and meet her grandsons, who have been living with Opal.

Jacquie Red Feather: Has been living in Albuquerque and is a substance abuse counselor.

Calvin Johnson: Works on the powwow committee, and is dragged into the robbery plan by his brother Charles, who works for Octavio.

Bill Davis: A Vietnam veteran, he works at the Oakland Coliseum (where the powwow is held) and is in a relationship with Karen, Edwin's mother.

Reaches out online to his father, Harvey, who he plans to meet for the first time at the powwow.

Edwin Black: Works on the powwow committee and lives with his mother Karen.

She and her half-sister Jacquie were on Alcatraz with their mother, Vicky, during AIM's occupation of the island.

Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield: Lives with her great-nephews Orvil, Loother, and Lony.

Dene Oxendene: Tries to carry on the work of his uncle, Lucas, to 'document Indian stories in Oakland.' Has a booth set up at the powwow to record people's stories.

He has fetal alcohol syndrome, which he refers to as 'the Drome.'

Tony Loneman: Lives with his grandmother, Maxine, and works for Octavio.

All of the characters in the novel come together at the Big Oakland Powwow. It is home to many of the characters in There There, who traverse it by bike, bus, BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), and sometimes even by car.

Oakland, CA: Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland has a diverse population of ~433,000.

There there author