Mav is the protagonist of Concrete Rose. He’s 17, Black, lives in the poverty-stricken neighborhood of Garden Heights, and the son of a now-imprisoned former leader of the King Lords gang. Due to his father’s actions, Mav was essentially born into gang affiliation, and he struggles to believe that he is capable of a future outside of the King Lords. He has a hard time reconciling the different parts of his identity; although he dreams about attending college someday, he has no concrete goals beyond proving that he is a man worthy of his father’s legacy.

Mav’s life changes when he finds out he’s the father of a three-month-old baby. Left alone to care for baby Seven after Iesha disappears, Mav is initially terrified. With Dre’s support, however, he quits dealing and begins working for Mr. Wyatt. Parenting is hard, but Mav feels overwhelming love for his son and is committed to being the best father he can be. Dre’s murder is another major turning point in Mav’s character arc. After his cousin’s death, Mav grapples with anger and the desire to avenge Dre. The news that his ex-girlfriend Lisa is pregnant with his second child drives Mav back to dealing, and the mounting pressure in his life leads him to flunk out of 12th grade.