Our Mission
It takes a village to raise a child. And every person needs a village to thrive. The Banyan Tree exists to be that village for South Asian* communities, and our friends of all backgrounds. Every person needs to know they belong somewhere, they have roots somewhere, that there is an ecosystem supporting them when they fall, and that there is an ecosystem that relies on them to rise. To create this ecosystem, the Banyan Tree takes the form of a community center with programs designed to build authentic community, and train the leadership/organizing skills required to positively participate in the world around us.
*By South Asian, we mean people with an ancestor that originated from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Afghanistan, and the Maldives — including diasporas from the Caribbean, Fiji, Africa, and elsewhere. We know that the term “South Asian” doesn’t roll off the tongue quite like “Punjabi” or “Sri Lankan Tamil” or “Guyanese.” We use the term “South Asian” to communicate that we want to be a space for all of us with this shared history and culture.
“The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”
- Rabindranath Tagore
Our Program Pillars
Every Banyan Tree program is designed around these 5 Pillars.
Know Your History — Discover how personal stories connect to broader historical contexts. We support our communities in understanding the parts of our past that have been overlooked or excluded in mainstream American education and media.
Express Yourself — Whether through the arts, language, food, community organizing, or career transitions, we provide programs for our communities to experience authentic self-expression, and to find the courage to pursue their dreams (big and small).
Imagine the Future — From climate change to immigration rights, there are a lot of things the next generation will need to address about our world. We encourage people to combine ancestral wisdom, critical thinking, knowledge of the past, and imaginative thinking to build a world that supports all living beings in thriving.
Serve Your Community — Practice seva (service) through cooking food for our neighbors, organizing for immigrant rights, or helping us create a program. We raise leaders who understand that individual success is only possible through collective liberation.
Build Your Village — Create deep intergenerational connections through mentorship, storytelling, and shared learning. Our elders create support systems for our youth, while young voices teach us how to reimagine tradition for today.
Within the confines of this body and soul
Dwells such a moon-silvered tree
Its leaves I've always confided in
Each flower has been a friend to me.
Still, I dearly love
The shade of this, my tree.
- Zehra Nigah, The Moonflower Tree
Our Values
We believe that the most precious inheritance we can pass onto the next generation is unconditional love and the strong values we received from our elders. We are inspired by the South Asian communities around us. Our 5 Core Values inspire how we conduct ourselves and engage with every person who walks through our doors.
Care — Have you eaten? Do you need anything? We want our youth and adults to feel the support and care of their ajji, paati, naani, or any grandparent figure. We start everything we do from a place of care, cherishing every life that walks through our doors. We want everyone to feel welcomed, supported, and valued.
Respect — We honor every religion, region, culture, caste, identity, and story. Our strength comes from understanding our diversity and building solidarity across differences.
Celebration — We use festivals, holidays, and historical events as an opportunity to gather, learn our stories, have fun, and build lifelong bonds.
Excellence — We encourage everyone in our team and community to discover their unique gifts, to pursue them with commitment, and to use them to inspire lasting change.
Action — We carry forward our ancestors' legacy of fighting for freedom and liberation through organizing, advocacy, and building the world we need for future generations.
Our Theory of Change
The Banyan Tree is a space where people can be nourished through fun classes, summer camps, and other programs. But it is also a space that grows leaders who can create community projects together, build a village together, and create a kinder, safer, more equitable world together.
Creating Together → When people come together to share stories and work on a community project together, they begin to build a village of support.
Building a Village → As people develop genuine relationships, learn together, grow together, laugh together, and practice mutual care together, they create the trust and skills needed for collective action
Social Justice → Communities that know their histories, maintain strong relationships, and practice care for one another can fight for the needs of their community and those around them, and in turn, transform systems to build a more just and safe society for everyone.