Along the way, she became a part-time photographer. Over the years, she has won journalism awards and secured grants supporting her work. Currently, she is a Contributing Editor for Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine. A fourth-generation Chinese-American, Lydia also is a public speaker who divides her time between Texas and California. Her great-uncle, now deceased, was among an estimated 175,000 immigrants detained at Angel Island before World War II. View by Project