The film follows Dalia, a young African-American girl who moves to a new town with her family. Her favorite show is an animated show called, "Wonder Lady," which features a black, braided and beautiful superhero. Her beads and braids are point of pride, but they pose a problem for her new teacher, Ms. Lewis, who makes a rash decision to deal with the beads in a violent way. The film deals with the aftermath of this decision and explores how adults teach children how to view the world through a racist lens. The story of Beads comes at a time of national spotlight on racial dynamics, and narrows in on how the innocence of children can be corrupted by the views of adults.