Wong began her career as an activist in her 20s, serving on a variety of committees that advocated for the rights and interests of people with disabilities. In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Wong to the National Council on Disability. Wong received many awards for her service, including the Disability Service Award from the University of California, San Francisco and the Community Award from the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. Her memoir, Year of the Tiger (2022), which shares some of her experiences as an Asian American disabled person, is a national bestseller.
“I never intended to be an activist. But my life has always been political. I cannot escape it. I have lived this every day ever since I was a child who had to grow up fast, a child of immigrants advocating for herself to teachers and doctors.”
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