Ismaila Whittier was born in Hoboken, New Jersey in November of 1994, but grew up in Houston, Texas. The son of a Senegalese mother and an American father, he lived in Tokyo, Japan and Paris, France before settling in his current home in Washington D.C. He is a fan of history and traveling; he enjoys learning about new cultures and exploring different parts of the world. His favorite soccer team is Arsenal FC.