Karina Deanna Chery was born on August 23rd 1991 in Queens, New York, to Sharon Chery and Steinberg Chery who has Haitian and Dominican decent. She moved with family to Gaffney, South Carolina in 2001 where she attended school. Her parents and teacher Mrs. Ivy got her started in drama and theater classes when she was 11 in 7th grade in 2003. She was a natural and continued studying the art where she later started doing film and television work in 2012.