First Floor on Fire centers around Nevaya Briggs, a troubled young African-American woman and her struggle to survive in inner-city Philly. Her story has a passionate anger and emotional intensity akin to Sapphire's Push.

Navaya is a strong, wounded, complicated teenager who must fight a predatory adult who thinks he is saving her, an abusive mother, a collapsing school system and a violent classmate.  Her ally is her gay brother Donyair, who must also fight battles of his own.  A seasoned teacher, Ms. Dee, tries to protect her, but Nevaya has learned to never trust adults.