[1] Marsalis grew up in the East Bay of San Francisco and moved to Los Angeles when she was 12 or 13.
[2] Marsalis attended California College of Arts and Crafts where she studied with Larry Sultan and Jim Goldberg.
[citation needed] Her works were published in Vogue, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, and The New York Times Magazine.
[3] Marsalis made her directorial debut with the film Echo Park starring Mamie Gummer and Tony Okungbowa.
[1] She was referred to the producers by Rebecca Walker, an author with whom she had worked previously.