Character Analysis
The Lee family should thank their lucky stars that Lia ended up in Dee Korda's foster home. Contrary to the Lees' expectations, Dee doesn't become another cold-hearted authority figure standing in their way—she becomes part of the family.
Dee is practically sewn together out of pieces of compassion. She already fosters several other children (who live in harmony alongside her biological kids). Plus many of those youngsters have special needs. Naturally, she falls in love with plucky little Lia immediately. Like we said: compassion to spare.
Even more remarkably, Dee finds room in her heart for Nao Kao and Foua too, treating the Lees with more empathy than all of Lia's doctors combined. In fact, out of all her many foster children, "Lia was the only one for whom she ever recommended reunification" with her family (7.32). Quite the accomplishment.
It also helps that she doesn't hold her fellow Americans' bias against the Hmong. When she arrives in Lia's hospital room, she immediately realizes that the doctors "saw [her] as smart and white, and as far as they were concerned the Lees were neither" (11.30). Ouch.
The fact that she not only despises this viewpoint, but can recognize it so quickly speaks volumes about her character. Though she mostly hangs out in the background, Dee Korda is the guardian angel that Lia—and the entire Lee family—so sorely needs.