Her paternal ancestry included William Bross, co-founder of the Chicago Tribune and acting governor of Illinois, and Henry Demarest Lloyd, a recognized advocate for social reform.
[10] Raised amidst discussions on civil liberties, peace, labor rights, and international relations, Lloyd was nurtured in an environment promoting civic duty and activism.
Following her parents' divorce in 1916, she moved across various residences, spending formative years in the US and Switzerland, where she attended the International Fellowship School.
[12][1][3][6][7][8][9] Lloyd's activism began in her college years, lobbying for the Equal Nationality Bill in 1934 and supporting Norman Thomas's presidential campaign.
In December 1937, alongside Hungarian pacifist Rosika Schwimmer and her mother Lola, she co-founded the Campaign for World Government (CWG).