Kristi Yamaguchi (Asian Americans of Achievement)

As a baby, Kristi Yamaguchi had to overcome a foot deformity just to be able to walk normally. The idea of putting on a pair of ice skates, let alone excelling as a world-class figure skater like her hero, Dorothy Hamill, could not have been more than a dream. Yet the determined young girl, born to parents who lived through the unjust internment of the Japanese during World War II, worked hard, putting in countless hours at the rink and accepting the sacrifices necessary to attain her goal. Her efforts were well worth it: In Albertville, France, in 1992, Yamaguchi's grace and dignity on the ice earned her the Olympic gold. "Kristi Yamaguchi" is the story of a woman who has exemplified her motto: Always dream. Whether as a competitor, champion, or the founder of her own charitable foundation, Kristi Yamaguchi's motto has served as her personal inspiration.