Lydia Asghedom is an Eritrean-Ethiopian fashion model currently residing and working in Germany. The following is Lydia in her own words:

Lydia Asghedom-Teshome: I was born and raised in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. My mother is Eritrean-Ethiopan from Asmara and my father is Italian. I grew up in Addis Ababa with my sister and grandparents and attended Greek Private school.

I migrated to San Diego at the age of 10 and joined my mother and the rest of my siblings. The reason for the move was mainly for higher education and an easy transition in getting into a College.

As a young adult, I played numerous sports such as soccer, field hockey, water polo, and track and field. But the one sport I truly enjoyed and succeeded in was wrestling.

In my junior and senior years of High School, I was ranked 3rd and 4th in the State of California and I was offered a full scholarship to attend and wrestle for Menlo College, a private business college located in Menlo Park.

In 2001, I studied Business Management and Psychology. Not only did I have a free tuition for 4-years, but I also made history by being one of the 7 women selected throughout the U.S. to be on the First Women College Wrestling Team.

It was in 2006, while living and working in San Francisco, I started modeling under Soma Model Management.

There, I began to host web shows SomaGirls.tv. I am now represented by City Model Management in San Francisco, CA.

I am currently temporarily living in Dusseldorf and represented by Divina Models Management.

I have been in over 200 fashion shows and I have done ads for AT&T, Michael Kors, and Macy’s.

I have a commercial running in U.S. as well as 4 other countries including Germany for Bare Minerals and Sheer Cover Make-up.

See more photos of Lydia here.