Anera was born and raised in Čajniče, a small town in Southeastern Bosnia with a forest products and tourist-based economy. During the occupation of Bosnia and Hercegovina in the early 1990s, Anera's family was forced into an exile, which eventually landed the whole family on the shores of Lake Champlain. Anera earned a BA in Sociology and Social Anthropology from the University of Vermont. During her undergraduate studies and after graduation, Anera worked with and advocated on behalf of refugees and immigrants, victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence and incarcerated women.