 Pereira akaberekerwa muChicago, Illinois, mwanakomana waSarah Friedberg naSaul Pereira. Sekuru vake vababa vake vaiva vorudzi rwechiPutukezi rwechiJudha chechiSephardi, uye vamwe vanasekuru vake vaiva vaJudha veAshkenazi. Pereira akapedza kudzidza paChikoro cheArchitecture, University of Illinois uye akatanga basa rake muguta rake rekumusha. Akanga ane ruzivo rwake rwokutanga rwokuvaka achibetsera kunyora chirongwa chikuru che1933 A Century of ProgressChicago Worlds Fair. Nomunununa wake, Hal Pereira, akagadzira Esquire Theatre pa58 East Oak Street, inoonekwa seimwe yemienzaniso yakanakisisa yeChicago yeArt Deco maitiro. 