Asian Economic Development Association

Description

AEDA’s goal is to support Asian small businesses and entrepreneurs by creating community-driven equitable development that fosters job and asset creation in low-income communities. Our activities include:

• Business Technical Assistance: providing culturally tailored technical assistance to Asian small businesses through counseling and workshops.
• Placemaking: AEDA launched and markets the Little Mekong Asian business district on St. Paul’s University Avenue to support small business, spur economic development, and to create a shared community space for arts and culture.
• Community Planning & Development: AEDA engages and collaborates with businesses and residents for land use planning, design, and redevelopment in the Little Mekong district.
• Advocay & Engagement: Small businesses and community members are mobilized to advocate for policies, resources, and practices that support immigrant and other small businesses, expand economic opportunities for low-income Twin Cities APIs, and invest in sustainable and equitable development in our communities and region.
• Commercial Development: AEDA is engaged in a public-private partnership to create an $18 million mixed-use development project that will be a hub for small businesses, early childhood education, arts and culture, and community healthcare.