Yreina Cervantes

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.