 Ducornet's father was a professor of sociology, and her mother hosted community-interest programs on radio and television.Ducornet was raised in a multicultural household as her father was Cuban and her mother was Russian-Jewish.Ducornet's father, Gerard DeGré, was an important figure in her life as he encouraged her to read novels by authors like Albert Camus and Lau Tzu, and to pursue an exploration of knowledge.