Francesca Levy was born and raised in New York City. In her work in the social sciences, including nearly five years as a research analyst for the Vera Institute of Justice, she has interviewed all kinds of people, from District Attorneys to incarcerated teenagers to sex workers. Her love for stories has led her to embark on a freelance journalism career and become a graduate student at CUNY's School of Journalism. She holds a B.A. in cultural studies from Eugene Lang College.