Desirée was born, raised and still resides on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations also known as Vancouver BC, Canada.

Although Vancouver is home to her and she feels a very deep connection and solidarity to the land and those indigenous to the land, she herself is a non-indigenous settler and is the first generation of her family to be born in Vancouver.

At a young age she moved to White Rock, the traditional territory of the Semiahmoo, Kwantlen, and Katzie peoples.

Desirée’s mother is a white French-Canadian settler and her father is African-American. Desirée’s father was born and raised in South Carolina, where the family has been for many generations. The land they have lived on for generations is the land of the Cherokee people and the Catawba tribe.

Desirée has been travelling back and forth between South Carolina and Canada since she was a newborn baby.

Desirée’s mother was born in Toronto, and grew up in Northern Ontario. The lands she grew up on are traditional Lands of Mattagami First Nation, Flying Post First Nation, and Matachewan First Nation, home to many Ojibway, Cree, Oji-Cree, Algonquin and Métis people and are situated in Treaty 9 territory (also known as the James Bay Treaty).