Kay Forde-Mazrui has lived in Charlottesville, Virginia since 1996. Primarily a homemaker during these years, she also volunteered with several community organizations, including Piedmont Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Charlottesville High School Band Boosters, and Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville / Albemarle. She was born and raised in Flint, Michigan and studied vocal music at the University of Michigan (Flint Campus) and Michigan State University. She had various supervisory roles in hospitals in Ann Arbor, Michigan and later Gaithersburg, Maryland before moving to Charlottesville with her husband and son.