Squeaky, whose real name is Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker, is the narrator and protagonist of “Raymond’s Run.” She’s a skinny little girl with a squeaky voice (hence her nickname) whose greatest passion is running. Squeaky lives with her mother, father, and brothers Raymond and George in Harlem. It’s Squeaky’s responsibility to look after Raymond each day, a role that she doesn’t mind but that wears on her given that Raymond is intellectually disabled and often causes a scene in public. A self-described “poor Black girl” who misses the countryside where her family used to live before moving to the city, Squeaky feels misunderstood and alienated. People (including her own parents) look down on Squeaky because she isn’t particularly feminine and does unusual things, like performing breathing exercises in public. At her core, Squeaky just wants to be herself: to work hard and pursue her passions unabashedly without being judged by others. To protect herself and Raymond from being bullied for their differences, Squeaky adopts a tough, combative persona and intimidates people into respecting her. Her foremost rival is Gretchen, who, along with her sidekicks Mary Louise and Rosie, bullies Squeaky and Raymond. But Squeaky experiences a shift in perspective at the annual neighborhood May Day race after she sees Raymond running skillfully alongside her: she becomes inspired to coach him rather than dominating all of the neighborhood races herself. Squeaky does win the 50-yard dash, but the story ends with her exchanging genuine smiles with Gretchen (the second-place winner) rather than boasting about her own victory. Squeaky’s change of heart embodies how being one’s genuine self, and lifting others up in the process, is more meaningful than garnering respect through intimidation.