Mission

Apex for Youth empowers underserved Asian and immigrant youth from low-income families in NYC to help them unlock their potential and a world of possibility. Our volunteers support and mentor youth, building the next generation of tomorrow’s change makers. We are in active pursuit of a more equitable future.

History

Apex for Youth, originally called APEX, was founded in New York’s Chinatown in 1992 by five friends who saw that Asian American youth were lacking the support they needed to thrive. Oftentimes, these youth were excluded from services provided to other groups, due in part to the “model minority” myth construct that stereotypes Asian Americans as extraordinarily successful. With a shoestring budget of $2,000, Apex was launched as a volunteer-led mentoring program to inspire youth to expand their horizons and envision what was possible for their lives.