Simon was born in Mexicali, Mexico in 1961 and came to the United States when he was just over a year old. He worked to earn money to pay for his college tuition, and graduated from the Art Center College Of Design with his Bachelor's Degree in Art. Simon Silva is a well-known artist, author, and speaker who travels around the country to do presentations for educators, students, parents, and business people. He knows firsthand the importance of education and is the only person in family to have graduated from both high school and college. One of eleven children in a family of farmers, he grew up as a migrant student and relied heavily on his artistic skills and interest to cope with what was at times a difficult childhood.