Yreina Cervántez was born on December 5th, 1952, in Garden City, Kansas. She lived with her mother, father, and younger brother until she was seven. Cervántez remembers that at a very young age, she became aware that things were different for people of color. Fortunately, her parents provided Cervántez with a strong support system that helped her articulate the confusion and alienation she felt growing up in a racist environment. She grew up watching them support the development of the Civil Rights Movement, empathizing with the African American community in their town.