Maya Ying Lin was born on October 5, 1959 in Athens, Ohio to Chinese immigrants Henry Huan Lin and Julia Ming-hui Chang Lin. Her parents were art and English professors at the University of Ohio.

Photo from National Portrait Gallery.

Lin with her parents and older brother Tan.

From a young age, Lin was encouraged to pursue the arts. Her family respected the creative process and valued a clean aesthetic.

“I’ve been an artist from probably the first time I stepped into my dad’s ceramics studio.”​​​​​​​ 
~ Maya Lin

Though Lin saw herself as an ordinary American, she only had a few friends and felt as though she did not belong due to her race. She was often asked, "Where are you really from?"

“No matter how long you’ve been here, you’re not going to be quite allowed to be American.”
~ Maya Lin

Lin excelled at math and science and was valedictorian at her high school. She was accepted to Yale University, where she chose to major in architecture. 

“I chose architecture [because] it was this perfect combination of science, math, and art.”​​​​​
~ Maya Lin

Photo from the Yale Daily News.

Lin as a student at Yale.