Dawson was born in New York City, the daughter of Isabel, a Bronx-born professional vocalist, and Greg Dawson, a construction worker. The two are now divorced. Dawson's mother is of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban descent and her father is of Irish and Native American ancestry.Dawson grew up on Manhattan's Lower East Side and has a brother named Clay. She and her family squatted in an abandoned building during most of her childhood. While attending school, she had aspirations of becoming a marine biologist.
Dawson dated former Sex and the City star Jason Lewis for two years. They lived together in Los Angeles until they separated in November 2006. She has also been rumored to have dated Dawson's Creek star Joshua Jackson.
Dawson is involved with the Lower East Side Girls Club and supports other charities such as environmental group Global Cool, the ONE Campaign, Oxfam, Amnesty International, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Stay Close.org (a poster and public service ad campaign for PFLAG where she is featured with her uncle Frank Jump),International Rescue Committee, Voto Latino, and she participated in the Vagina Monologues. She was a guest at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St Paul, Minnesota.
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