Our Mission
Kollaboration SF’s mission is to foster community, address stereotypes, and promote diversity in entertainment, specifically voices in the AAPI community. We cultivate innovation, creative artistry, constructive dialogue, and dynamic collaborations among staff members, local artists, and other Kollaboration chapters.
OUR VISION
We aspire to be the leading resource for AAPI changemakers to connect and engage with others in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the U.S. We aim to be a global platform that strives to discover and empower artists and leaders to reach mainstream media prominence and influence nuanced and understanding views of Asian-American culture.
HOW WE CAME ABOUT...
Kollaboration was founded in 2000 by Executive Director Paul "PK" Kim. Under the guidance of Executive Producer Roy Choi, Kollaboration became officially incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in January of 2006 and became an Asian and Pacific Islander organization.
Kollaboration's current mission and mantra is "Empowerment through Entertainment." In addition to encouraging the diverse talents of API youth, Kollaboration seeks to empower (1) API youth by providing them with a creative outlet and leadership training that serves as an alternative to gang-activity and delinquency for those at-risk, (2) API families by offering a platform for communication that bridges the gap between 1st generation parents and latter generation youth, and (3) the API community at large, by raising awareness for other critical community issues and NGOs.
In contrast to our mission statement of "Empowerment Through Entertainment," the ultimate vision for Kollaboration is "Entertainment Through Empowerment," envisioning a future when our organization represents a movement of innovative and creative artistry with all races and ethnicities.
Our Values
Kollaboration SF believes that empathy, inclusion, creativity, altruism, and growth are necessary pieces of who we are and together, support Kollaboration’s goal of Empowerment through Entertainment.
Empathy
It is at the heart of what we do. As we listen to the stories of the people around us, we strive to understand their individual voices. We never lose sight of people's humanity and keep in mind that what we do affects our community.
Inclusion
Inclusion and diversity go hand-in-hand - we embrace our differences as well as the commonalities that tie us together. We want all people, regardless of race, age, gender, or any other aspect of identity, to feel a sense of belonging in the community and be empowered to make their voice heard.
Creativity
Without creativity, KollabSF wouldn't be where it is today. We appreciate the arts and aim to shed light on individuals with fresh, unique perspectives. As an organization, we strive to maintain an innovative culture and encourage ourselves to think big.
Altruism
Altruism is a cornerstone of our non-profit organization, and our staff is completely made up of volunteers. We are a service-oriented group, focusing not only on how we can help better the AAPI artist community at large but also on how we can amplify the story that each person has to offer.
Growth
We set our sights high when it comes to what we believe. Our desire for growth is reflected in multiple aspects of our organization - whether it is expanding our network of artists, increasing the prevalence of community events, or helping individual members of Kollaboration with their personal growth.