Mission & Values

AAPI Montclair is a 501(c)3 nonprofit representing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and families in the Montclair, NJ area and across New Jersey. We are a brave space to share experiences and help unify our voices to create action and representation for our communities. 

Following the rise of anti-Asian hate around the country—and within Montclair—our co-founders convened a group of AAPI-identifying residents and parents of AAPI children to address incidents within the public schools. Our organization has expanded to include: advocacy at the state and local level, events to promote cultural awareness and understanding, statewide educational initiatives including Teach Asian American Stories, and resources to empower AAPI community members. Together, we create and deepen connections built upon shared experiences, ultimately nurturing the local pan-Asian community of all ages. 

Through our work, we hope to encourage structural change, build solidarity among communities, and fight for equity for all oppressed groups, while celebrating AAPI cultures. We invite co-conspirators to engage with and support our community-wide efforts towards a more inclusive New Jersey. 

 Inclusion and Belonging: We are committed to being an anti-racist, anti-ableist, anti-transphobic, anti-oppression, anti-mysogonistic, and anti-Islamophobic organization. We condemn anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate in all forms. We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement like our ancestors Yuri Kochiyama and Grace Lee Boggs, among others, who were leaders in Black and Asian solidarity movements. 

Community: We understand the power of partnerships and mutual aid, and look to, support, and collaborate with local organizations (nonprofits, for-profits, school groups) who have a shared vision of creating an equitable and inclusive future for Montclair.

*Diversity: We welcome community members and organizations from all backgrounds to advocate, participate, learn, and celebrate alongside us. We acknowledge that the term “AAPI” can be both a unifying and erasing term. We aim to celebrate the various communities, cultures, and heritages that live under the “AAPI'' umbrella term, including multi-racial and multi-heritage individuals and transracial adoptees and families. 

Justice: We embrace anti-racism in all forms and a belief that our society must be just, democratic, and advocate equal opportunity for all. We pledge to create a future where everyone can achieve their full potential.