The film addresses a variety of contemporary social and political issues including teenage pregnancy, abortion, racism, poverty, and HIV/AIDS.

Chantel is very smart, but her sharp tongue, abundant ego, and occasional naivete undermine her efforts to achieve her ultimate dream: to leave her poor neighborhood, go to college, and eventually become a doctor.

Her dream is tested by her constant clashes with her school's administration, along with her romantic involvement with her seemingly rich boyfriend Tyrone.

"[4] Because Harris "wanted to avoid the clichéd drug obsession accompanying male violence of most 'street' films," she ran into resistance from potential producers and financiers.

I was told, ‘Hey, why don’t you make it into a documentary?’"[5] At that time, the only prior feature-length film to be directed by a Black woman and get theatrical distribution was 1991's Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash.

It’s as if you can’t have a central character who’s not good at all, and from my experience I think people are a combination of bad and good.”[5] Harris also chose to shoot the film in a cinéma-vérité style, giving the audience "the feeling that you’re experiencing this girl’s life along with her.

I wanted to have the film very bright, not dark and bleak, just a difference in perspective of how life goes on.”[5] Ariyan A. Johnson was cast in the role of Chantel from over 200 hopefuls.

[7] Funds came from grants through organizations such as the American Film Institute, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Women Make Movies.

[4][3] Author Terry McMillan and filmmaker Michael Moore helped to finance the post-production when it was running low on funding.

[1] It went on to screen at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival to acclaim, winning the Special Jury Prize for Outstanding First Feature for director Leslie Harris and securing distribution with Miramax.

Her artfully stylized, explosively funny film also manages to be deeply moving without jerking easy tears", and that Harris represents "a bracing new voice; she keeps her big little movie brimming with the pleasures of the unexpected.

Her career has drawn comparisons to other Black women directors such as Julie Dash, who similarly premiered a film at Sundance but struggled to green-light future projects.