We are Asian Roots Collective, a community where Asians can call home.

Many who identify as Asian share a common need for belonging - some don’t feel Asian enough, some feel too Asian in today’s North American society, and some feel mixed in somewhere between cultures. The Asian Roots Collective (formerly known as CCYAA) aims to create a sense of familiarity, comfort - a place to call home. We’re a community that experiences and shares familiar tastes, sounds, languages and activities that remind us of our cultural roots while embracing our present experiences in Canada.

We’re devoted to making Asians of all backgrounds feel like they can thrive and feel celebrated, uplifting culture defining Asians and people who are changing the narrative on representation. We want to show what it means to be unapologetically Asian and define our story.

“We seek to inspire the Asian community to embrace our cultural differences and use them as a source of strength and pride.”

Pride meets Purpose

Our Mission

We are proud of our heritage and want to foster the next generation of culture-defining Asians. We connect with our history, live fiercely and tell our stories with pride. As a community, we embrace our histories, traditions, and differences with pride and aim to share our culture, influence, and community with the world.

Our Programming

Our range of high-quality programs and events in sports, youth programming, food, culture, and entertainment foster a sense of community and aim to elevate and develop the next generation of athletes, artists, chefs, actors, singers, leaders…and more. From our Jeremy Lin basketball programs to limited edition merch collaborations to celebrity events and conventions, our programs and events showcase Asian excellence and invite the larger community to discover our culture and foster connections.

Evolving Beyond Basketball

Our organization began as the Canadian Chinese Youth Athletic Association (CCYAA) in 1995 with an original intent to bring basketball programming to the Canadian Chinese community. CCYAA focussed on promoting sports, fair play, and cultivating a sense of community for youth across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) garnering over 2,000 participants annually in programs such as seasonal sport leagues, basketball coaching, rep teams, special events and leadership opportunities.

While our Chinese roots and DNA will be with us forever, we have evolved beyond basketball to offer a broadened range of programs and events in food, arts, culture and more to showcase how Asians can thrive in a variety of industries. As we continued to expand and offer programming beyond only the Chinese community, youth programs and athletics and acknowledging our growing audience and network of partners, CCYAA made the decision to evolve into the Asian Roots Collective (ARC)...so we can be well positioned to write the next chapter of our story.

Centre for Athletic Performance

Our physical home is at our Centre for Athletic Performance, a community hub that houses a Community Corner supported by Google, kitchen and lounge area, children’s play corner, strength & conditioning space and the Simu Liu basketball court. The centre is a place of learning, gathering, play and collaboration used by members of the community, our volunteer team, special events, and program participants.