Carrasco was born in El Paso, Texas to Mexican-American parents. She was the second-oldest child and oldest girl in her family. She had two brothers and two sisters growing up. When she was around a year or so of age, her family moved to Los Angeles. They lived in government Veteran's housing in Culver City since her father was a Korean War Navy veteran. She recalls that they were poor and lived off of food stamps. Carrasco's childhood growing up in the predominantly Mexican-American and African-American community of Mar Vista Gardens was sometimes painful, because she was teased for having lighter skin than her peers and stood out for her green eyes; being called "white girl," "green eyes" and "güera." Her experiences with being simultaneously perceived as not truly Mexican-American and b