Payne was born in Barbados and spent her early childhood in Christ Church, Barbados. As a young child, her parents, Ina and Clarence Payne, moved to New York City for school and work, leaving her behind in Barbados.
The passage describes the childhood of Payne, highlighting that she was born in Barbados but spent her formative years in Christ Church, Barbados, while her parents moved to New York City for work and education.