[1] After Vincent Chin's murder, Zia helped found American Citizens for Justice, which successfully lobbied for a federal trial.

She was also a vocal antiwar activist, voicing her opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, a firm believer in feminism, and active in movements creating cross racial unity among low income people of color.

Zia played a crucial role in bringing federal civil rights charges against the perpetrators of Vincent's killing and in igniting an Asian American response to the crime through her journalism and advocacy work.

[14] She traveled to Beijing in 1995 to the United Nations Fourth World Congress on Women as part of journalists of color delegation.

[14] She has appeared in numerous news programs and films; her work on the 1980's Asian American landmark civil rights case of anti-Asian violence is documented in the Academy Award-nominated film, Who Killed Vincent Chin?,[15] and she was profiled in Bill Moyers' PBS documentary, "Becoming American: The Chinese Experience.

"[13] Zia's latest work, Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution, was released in January 2019.

Former president of the United States Bill Clinton quoted from Asian American Dreams at two separate speeches in the White House Rose Garden.

[26] Her articles, essays and reviews have appeared in numerous publications, books and anthologies, including Ms., The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, Essence, The Advocate, and OUT.