Awake Unto Me

Maddie Weeks and Gerry Stern leave their homes when Uncle Sam calls for help winning the Second World War. Maddie is desperate to escape the economic and racial oppression of the Jim Crow South. Gerry doesn’t see a future for herself as a farmer’s wife in California’s Central Valley. When they meet by chance in a blues club in San Francisco, not even their differences can prevent them falling in love.

But love doesn’t solve every problem as Maddie and Gerry struggle to hold on to their identities and livelihoods as the war comes to an end and their independence is threatened. The war brought them together, but it could wind up destroying everything, including their future.

In the summer of 1981, Maxine Cooper moves from the Midwest to San Francisco with her gay best friend, Chris, where she hopes to find love and community. But gay life in a big city is much more complicated than either of them ever expected. Life becomes a constant party, and Max slides deep into alcohol and drugs. She and Chris become estranged, and when he contracts AIDS, Max doesn’t know how to bridge the gap between them. 

Shattered by Chris’s death, Max must decide how she is going to live her life. Can she forgive herself for abandoning him, or will her guilt lead her down a path that guarantees destruction?

Abigail Eliot is a brilliant naturalist whose entire life is dedicated to her work. When she meets an earnest doctor, Norah Stratton who’s new to San Francisco, they start an unlikely friendship. When the 1906 earthquake and fire strike, they’re both caught up in the event in very different ways. Will their tentative connection turn to a lasting love or will San Francisco’s great tragedy drive them apart?

Just out of the closet, Hayley Daniels is excited to start exploring lesbian life in San Francisco. It has its ups and downs, but the one thing she can depend on is the support of her housemate, Merle Craig. Merle's trying to recover from a broken heart and Hayley is a breath of fresh air, but neither of them is prepared for their attraction to each other.

When Hayley falls in love with Merle, she hesitates because she wants to be a free spirit. Merle isn't ready to dive into a relationship, especially with a brand new lesbian. Can they overcome their misgivings and find true love?

Kerry O'Shea and Beth Hammond have plans for the future. Beth dreams of becoming a doctor and helping the poor citizens of San Francisco. More than anything, Kerry wants them to have a home of their own, but she is committed to helping Beth make her dream come true. Kerry makes a fateful decision that could have dire consequences. Can they both have what they want, or will they lose everything, including their love for each other?

Sylvia Ramirez believes in marriage, two people bound together forever in love. Jules Marvin is a contented polyamorist and has no plans to change. She enjoys her freedom and has no interest in monogamy. Everything changes when they meet in the summer when marriage equality came to California. As Proposition 8 threatens to take away everything Sylvia's worked for, she fights her attraction to Jules. Jules is intrigued and impressed by Sylvia's passion for justice, but she's certain she's not ready for a one-on-one relationship. They're polar opposites in everything. And as San Francisco's queers fight Proposition 8, everything Sylvia and Jules assume is true is called into question.