Balada grew up in Barcelona in a liberal family under Francisco Franco's regime. As he recalls, being raised to respect freedom of expression and equality caused him to admire post-World War II United States. However, the mistreatment of African Americans felt like a disappointment to him. After moving to the United States, he came in contact with the Civil Rights Movement, a relationship which culminated with Balada meeting Martin Luther King Jr. in New York City in 1967, one year before King was assassinated.