Vanessa Williams was born on July 4 to Charles and Rosa Williams. She grew up in the Crenshaw District off of Crenshaw and Slauson. She attended the famous Crenshaw High School where she first start selling cookies and became the "Cookie Lady". For 18 years she sold cookies and cakes at the Slauson Swapmeet. She's a mother of four, and the owner of Nazree's Essence Of A Queen.