Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is the first legal rights organization on the East Coast serving Asian Americans. We were founded by a group of lawyers, law students and community activists who believed that the law should be used as a tool to achieve social and economic justice for Asian Americans and all Americans.

We believe that the laws in this country should be applied equally, regardless of race or ethnicity. We also believe that every American has a right and an obligation to be involved in the communities where she or he lives and works. Our aim is to build an informed and active Asian America that is involved in the civic life of this country. Our projects include voting rights, economic justice, combating anti-asian violence, affirmative action, and immigrants' rights.