ASPIRE

ASPIRE's mission is to build and empower a community of Asian American women leaders through identity development, mentorship, and education.

Established in 2001, Asian Sisters Participating In Reaching Excellence, Inc. (ASPIRE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Boston. We are entirely run by volunteers, who are passionate about supporting the professional and personal growth of Asian American women. We strive to engage, educate, and empower Asian American girls and women to become effective lifelong leaders.
 
ASPIRE acknowledges a specific set of socio-cultural pressures that AA women face and targets these issues to develop leadership and career skills. Eliminating the widely perpetuated "model minority" myth and empowering Asian-American women find their own  stories to success are two of our main focuses. By tailoring our programs for girls and women in the Boston area’s diverse and growing Asian communities, we hope that we can combat perceptions that limit Asian American women in our society and in the minds of the girls and women we serve. 
 
With a membership base of more than 1,800 subscribers nationwide and engaged in more than 200 volunteers, ASPIRE aims to create a cross-generational community of Asian American girls and women that fosters dialogue, learning, support, mentoring, self-exploration, and relationships beyond ASPIRE. By strengthening our own sense of community and connectedness, we hope to provide women of all ages with opportunities that serve as a vehicle to learn from each other, inspire social change, and encourage and promote leadership in Asian American girls and women.

Our Programs

AAWIL Conference

The AAWIL Conference is an interactive event aimed at growing and developing leadership skills for hundreds of attendees. The program includes a keynote address, small group activities, networking opportunities, workshops, and training sessions. Conference participants range from high school students to seasoned professionals.

Youth Leadership Program

A core pillar of ASPIRE's programming, the Youth Leadership Program (YLP) aims to support the development of emerging Asian American women leaders. Designed for our Asian American sisters currently in high school, YLP encourages growth as rising leaders in their social, academic, and future professional communities. The program focuses on building identity, encouraging self-confidence, and developing leadership skills.  

ASPIRE’s Mentorship Program strives to empower self-growth through meaningful relationships and to foster an interconnected community of Asian American women. Recent graduates and/or college students are matched with experienced working professionals in a mentee-mentor relationship. Utilizing both one-on-one interactions and group mentorship, the program aims to promote personal growth, professional development, and leadership skills. This mutually beneficial relationship provides a unique opportunity for both the mentor and mentee to connect through their experiences, learn from different perspectives, and engage in thoughtful dialogue.

ASPIRE in the Community

ASPIRE in the Community seeks to create opportunities for the ASPIRE community to connect with one another through our events and clubs, inspire women in the community to share their stories and express their interests through various outlets, and to promote community engagement.