JEFFERSON has just been released from prison. He hooks up
with his old friend CHUNG (30’s) and lives with his mother
BLANCHE (60). Trying to reinvent his life, he goes to the
bank for a loan. He wants to open up his own laundry mat, but
he’s turned down. He’s too much of a risk.
Jefferson bumps into ANK (30’s) a drug deal. Ank offers
Jefferson a dime bag, but Jefferson turns him down. He’s not
into that anymore.

Jefferson tries to reconnect with KRISTEL (28), but she wants
nothing to do with him. In the background is a little girl,
AYANNA (7). Ayanna takes dance lessons. She wants to be in the pageant, but everyone makes fun of her. Her life is shattered when her mother is killed in a car accident.
With no other relatives, the social worker drops Ayanna off with Jefferson. He’s listed as being on her birth certificate. Not wanting her placed in the system, Jefferson takes Ayanna into his home.

Trying to find a way to bond with her, Jefferson enters
Ayanna into a pageant and talks his friends, a pimp and
QUEENIE, into helping train Ayanna. Jefferson also declares war on a pageant mother RHONDA, who pushes her own daughter “Princess Dye” to win. When Jefferson is fired, he’s desperate and agrees to help drug dealer Ank. Chung, Jefferson's best friend intervenes and returns the drugs to Akh. Akh doesn't take to kindly to that and beats him down.

Jefferson has to make a decision, go to Ayanna's qualifying pageant or save his friend Chung. Jefferson makes the wrong choice and confronts Akh. Jefferson rushes home to Ayanna and Blanche, but they know about his choice to get back in the drug game. Blanche asks Jefferson to get out before he screws up Ayanna's life.

Jefferson soul searches at Kristel's grave and later at Chung's hospital bed and figures out his decisions have consequences on more lives than just his now. Jefferson apologizes to Blanche and she helps coordinate a medieval tea party where he apologizes. Ayanna accepts his apology.

Jefferson enters Ayanna into the Little Miss Princess pageant after Blanche gives him the funds. They compete against Rhonda and her daughter, who sabotages Ayanna by telling the crowd to “boo” her. Rhonda then sets up Jefferson, claiming he was selling drugs at the pageant. He’s about to be arrested when Ayanna begs the police to let her father stay and watch her. For the first time, Ayanna tells her father that she loves him. He loves her too. The announcer declares Rhonda’s daughter the winner, but soon realizes his mistake. The real winner is Ayanna. However, she knows that what really count is how her father feels about her. That makes her a true princess and winner. A year later, Jefferson runs his own laundry business.