Born in 1980, Kao Kalia Yang, together with her sister, was the founder of a company dedicated to helping Twin Cities immigrants with writing, translating, and business services. A graduate of Carleton College and Columbia University, Yang has been crisscrossing the country since the publication of her memoir, becoming an inspirational spokesperson for her culture. The Latehomecomer, her first book, has been selected for campus-wide reading programs at universities and colleges that include the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Winona State University, Century College, Macalester College, California Lutheran College, Consumnes River College, Normandale community College, and Hamline University.