Dorothy Day was born in Brooklyn, New York, but was moved to Oakland, California when she was 6 because of her dad's job. Dorothy Day's father lost his job and his home due to the San Francisco Earthquake. Dorothy had to move a third time to Chicago, Illinois and stayed there for 12 years. Dorothy was so embarrased of her family's loss of money that she would walk into a expensive apartment complex after school so her friends would think that Dorothy lived there.