Aspira Inc of New Jersey
About Aspira Inc of New Jersey
Founded in Newark, New Jersey in 1968 by parents and community leaders concerned about high dropout rates among Hispanic and Latinx students, ASPIRA Inc. of New Jersey has grown into a vital community institution serving youth and families across the state. For over five decades, ASPIRA NJ has remained committed to empowering primarily the Hispanic community and other minorities through youth development, guided by the core belief that education opens pathways to opportunity and self-sufficiency. The organization's mission centers on bringing unity and empowerment to Newark and surrounding communities by challenging youth, parents, teachers, and staff to serve with respect, commitment, and high expectations. ASPIRA NJ cultivates lifelong learners who engage in critical reflection and examination of their world, while providing students with a strong sense of cultural identity and the tools to become agents of social change within their communities. Operating with the philosophy that it takes a village to raise a child, ASPIRA NJ functions as an educational and social resource that embraces continuous learning and multi-level community support. As part of the ASPIRA Association network, ASPIRA NJ connects Newark residents to a national movement serving over 5,000 communities. The organization honors its founder Dr. Antonia Pantoja's legacy while continuing to provide opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to underserved youth and families throughout New Jersey.