AAFE grew out of the hopes and aspirations of the Asian immigrant community. Immigrants come to America with the dream of making a better life for themselves and their families. The power of their dreams has propelled the building of America’s economy and society. From its early days as a grassroots movement in New York Chinatown, when a handful of idealistic activists came together to speak out for the rights of Asian American and immigrant workers, AAFE has spent the last thirty years actively helping people to realize their dreams.

The organization’s vision of a just and equitable society for new immigrant populations, particularly Asian Americans, grew into a mission to create equal opportunities for all people. Over the last three decades, AAFE has evolved from community advocate to community builder. Today, the organization works for community development and empowerment on many fronts: producing affordable housing, offering social and legal services, providing tenant and minority advocacy, encouraging civic participation, helping individuals build assets, and initiating economic development.

"Despite AAFE’s evolution into a professional organization that is better-equipped to work within the system," says Jacqueline Huey, AAFE’s Board President, "AAFE has always remained mindful of its roots and history." Christopher Kui, AAFE’s Executive Director, explains, "Many of us were immigrants too, so we shared the aspirations of the community. We knew what programs to develop in order to help people get access to the best of mainstream society."

This respect and empathy for immigrants has allowed AAFE to be effective, working with the community’s own infrastructure, resources, and talent rather than imposing structures from the outside. AAFE’s strategic vision incorporates both civil rights and community development, using the community’s assets to help people help themselves, not just to ask for help.

The past three decades have seen many political, social, and economic changes in New York City and in America. Over the thirty years that AAFE has spent so far trying to realize that vision, the organization has grown and evolved in order to respond to each new challenge. The individuals who make up AAFE today, as staff, clients, and members, continue expanding the organization’s work to help an ever-widening circle of people towards making their dreams come true.