Brenda Mason was born in Texas and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1960 when she was 11 years old. Her extended family left Texas as a result of pressure from the K.K.K.. Some of her early memories of attending integrated schools in Las Vegas include serving on a panel that discussed the impact of integration in the schools. Because of zoning changes, she attended Western High School in her senior year, and served as class president.

Lucile Whitehead Bunker was born November 23, 1907 in Overton, Nevada. Her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada when she was four years old, but moved back to Overton so that she could finish grade school before starting high school. After graduating from high school, Bunker worked at a law firm in research for a year so that she could attend the University of Nevada, Reno. She married her husband, Berkeley L. Bunker, on December 29, 1932. She moved around with him while he was involved with politics, even living in Washington, D.C. for a few years.