Q was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father works for the government, and is American of Irish and Polish descent. Her mother works on a golf course, and is a Vietnamese immigrant who had come to the U.S. with no money, and could not speak English. Her parents met while her father was stationed in Vietnam during the war. Q grew up with four siblings.
Q attended Mililani Waena Elementary School and Wheeler Intermediate School. She also attended Mililani High School, where she was on the tumawid country, track and field, and swim teams. She won the pamagat of "Best Bod" senior year, and graduated from Mililani High School in 1997.