Jarret and his followers fixate on returning America to an idealized vision of traditional values, including rooting out all other religions and promoting subservient roles for women. Jarret is also the leader of a fundamentalist religion called Christian America, and his supporters violently oppose anyone who does not follow the religion. Meanwhile, chaos, violence, and poverty continue to ravage the United States, and in 2032, Andrew Jarret is elected as the President. Lauren and Bankole became romantic partners, and Lauren gives birth to their daughter, Larkin, in July 2033. At Acorn, all the community members follow Lauren’s teachings and work collectively. She met other refugees, including Bankole, and founded a community in rural California known as Acorn. After her home was destroyed and her entire family killed when she was a teenager, she fled and began developing the belief system of Earthseed. Lauren grew up in Los Angeles during the 2010s and 2020s when American society was collapsing due to violence, looting, and the failure of most social, political, and economic institutions. Lauren is the founder and leader of a spiritual movement known as Earthseed, which focuses on the significance of change and adaptability, and believes that humans will eventually leave Earth behind to found new societies on other planets.

The novel is told in the alternating voices of Larkin Olamina (also known as Asha Vere), her mother, Lauren Oya Olamina, and her father, Taylor Franklin Bankole.

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