DawnMarie Ferrara, a native New Yorker with a profound connection to the city that never sleeps, has a unique distinction in her family - she is a cousin to the illustrious Rita Moreno. Growing up on the vibrant and culturally rich Lower East Side of Manhattan, DawnMarie's early life was marked by profound loss and adversity.
Tragedy struck when DawnMarie was just five years old, as her father's untimely passing left an indelible mark on her young life. The subsequent loss of her mother to cancer a year later only served to exacerbate the sense of vulnerability and uncertainty that DawnMarie felt. At the tender age of six, she was forced to navigate the complexities of adulthood, as she was taken in by her maternal grandmother.
Despite the promise of a new chapter in her life, DawnMarie's grandmother, too, was taken from her by the cruel hand of cancer, leaving the young girl to face the world alone at the age of eighteen. This tumultuous and trying period in DawnMarie's life would have a profound impact on her worldview and the person she would eventually become, forging a resilience and determination that would serve her well in the face of future challenges.
