Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

AALDEF focuses on critical issues affecting Asian Americans, including immigrant rights, civic participation and voting rights, economic justice for workers, language access to services, educational equity, housing and environmental justice, and the elimination of anti-Asian violence, police misconduct, and human trafficking.

AALDEF engages in the following activities:

• - litigates cases that have major impacts on the Asian American community;
• - provides legal resources for community-based organizations and facilitates grassroots community organizing efforts;
• - conducts free, multilingual legal advice clinics for low-income Asian Americans and new immigrants;
• - educates Asian Americans about their legal rights;
• - comments on proposed legislation and governmental policies; and
• - trains students in public interest law and encourages them to use their legal skills to serve the community.

AALDEF has a 15-person staff, including seven lawyers. They are assisted by over 300 volunteers, including pro bono attorneys, community workers, and students. AALDEF receives financial support from foundations, corporations, individual contributions and special fundraising events. AALDEF receives no government funds.

Programs:

• - Economic Justice for Workers
• - mmigrant Rights and Post 9-11 Civil Liberties
• - Voting Rights and Civic Participation
• - Educational Equity and Youth Rights
• - Anti-Trafficking Initiative
• - Housing and Environmental Justice
• - Affirmative Action
• - Anti-Asian Bias