AAPI Montclair began as a small group of parents working together to support their Asian American and Pacific Islander children. Those individuals sought to cultivate a community and environment in which everyone could thrive and be proud of who they are and where they come from. In the three years since the organization began, we’ve established a strong community presence, produced over a hundred cultural events, fought racism at its roots by working to incorporate Asian American history into K-12 classrooms, built partnerships with other historically marginalized groups, and advocated to advance the visibility, representation, and rights of AAPIs across New Jersey.
In 2023, we came to realize that our local name didn’t accurately reflect the statewide reach of our work. So with the support of our board and community members, we decided to change our name to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders of New Jersey (AAPI New Jersey), to better communicate our activities and aspirations.
Along with a new name, we needed a new logo to represent our new identity. The mark had to capture our commitment to community and strength in solidarity. We wanted it to be a joyful symbol that reflects the many friendships, opportunities, and bright memories that have emerged from the group’s existence. And because the AAPI community comprises a multitude of nationalities and ethnicities, it was important that the new logo draw inspiration from and reflect many cultures.
The resulting logo consists of three layers: a circle of ginkgo leaves—a traditionally East Asian symbol of hope, strength, and resilience; a five-petaled flower formed by the negative space between the leaves evokes New Jersey’s state flower, the common blue violet, and the hibiscus, a traditional Hawaiian symbol of power and respect; the flames that frame the center represent the light of a diya, an oil lamp used in Hindu celebrations symbolizing the power of knowledge, light, and goodness. The circular composition evokes connection and unity while echoing the radial pattern of a rangoli, a celebratory artform from India representing prosperity and welcome.
The name of the organization is set in the typeface Nyata, which was designed by Indonesian type designer, Marsnev. “Nyata” means “clearly visible” in Indonesian, and its serifed capital “I” is one of its distinguishing features, ensuring that it will never be mistaken for a lowercase “L.”
The most visible implementation of this new identity is our freshly launched website for AAPI New Jersey. In addition to echoing nostalgic bento-box lunches, the modular site structure gives us a flexible framework in which to provide frequent updates; share our story, mission, and values; highlight urgent work; and provide thoughtful spaces for the myriad resources and events that we’re working on.
The jewel-toned color palette, accented by the bright red-orange stamp of our logo, creates a strong, bold, and joyful environment that reflects the impact of our work, our passion for our mission, and all the ways we love to commune (did someone say food?)!
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