Posted by atasc on January 6, 2010 at 23:15 pm
ATASC and ATAA invite all Turkish American students to this seminar where we will discuss issues concerning students such as visa and immigration issues, job search, career decisions, available resources in an informal Q/A setting. The meeting will start at 2 pm at Courtyard Marriott at LAX. Please let students of your aquaintance know of this special meeting.
Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California and ATAA
1st Annual Turkish Students Networking Event
Saturday, Jan 30, 2010, 2-5 pm
Courtyard Marriott Hotel (at LAX airport)
6161 W. Century Blvd, LA, CA 90045, Phone #: 310 649 1400
Discussions will be conducted in Turkish and English – Agenda below
Posted by atasc on January 6, 2010 at 22:22 pm
Sunday, Jan 31, 2010, 9:30 am-4:00 pm
Courtyard Marriott Hotel (at LAX airport)
6161 W. Century Blvd, LA, CA 90045, Phone #: 310 649 1400
ATASC will hold its annual General Assembly (GA) Meeting on Jan 31, 2010 starting at 9:30 am at LAX. We are expecting ATASC members to attend and be part of the election process. Only ATASC members (whose dues were paid through Dec 31, 2009) can vote at this election. If you can not be there in person, you can give your proxy to another ATASC member. Fill it with the name of person who will vote for you and give (or mail) it to that person to bring it to the meeting. The proxy form is at http://www.atasc.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Capture1.JPG. Ms. Hafize Turgut is the Election Committee Chairperson and will supervise the election on Jan 31st.
On January 31st, in addition to ATASC Assembly and elections, we will hold a GrassRoots/Leadership Seminar presented with the participation of visitors from ATAA and TCA. Previous ATAA President Ms. Nurten Ural, current TCA President Lincoln McCurdy and their staffs will be here to meet with ATASC members and to hold discussions on multiple Turkish American issues.
Overview of the Afternoon Workshop
11:45 – 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 – 12:40 pm Honorable Hakan Tekin,
12: 40 -1:10 pm Representative Mc Mahon
1:10 -1:40 pm Lincoln Mc Curdy (TCA)
Break
2:00 - 3:15 pm ATAA, ATASC Grassroots Workshop by Nurten Ural, Yenal Kucuker, Vega Sankur and Seda Bolulu
3:15 – 3:30 pm Next steps on SC Grassroots Efforts
3:30 – 4:00 pm Other collaborative SC efforts (Daughters of Ataturk, ATASC School in Izmit, Long Beach_Izmir Sister Cities, Turkish Woman’s Initiative,TCA_WAC Teacher’s Education Program)
We will shortly send an Evite (electronic invitation) to the Turkish American Community. Please respond with your attendance (RSVP) quickly, since we need to give the hotel an accurate headcount for the luncheon. (Lunch is free for ATASC members and $25 for non-members).
Posted by atasc on January 4, 2010 at 18:04 pm
Through this program TCA hopes to lend a hand in molding the next generation of Turkish American leaders. We can only do this with your assistance! The more applicants we receive, the better chance we have in securing spots in relevant Congressional offices. All it takes is one experience with an American of Turkish descent – be it through an internship or meeting – for staffers on the Hill to start learning about Turkish Americans.Summer Internship announcement with application requirements: http://www.tc-america.org/internship/inter_2010.html
Posted by atasc on December 24, 2009 at 18:12 pm
ATASC wishes a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you. We hope for Peace, Love and Prosperity in our families, community, in our lands and throughout the globe. Let the New year bring us all that our hearts desire.
ATASC hepinizin Yeni Yilini kutlar, tatillerinizin neseli gecmesini diler. Butun ailelerimiz, toplumumuz, memleketlerimiz ve dunyamiz baris, sevgi, muhabbet ve zenginlik dolu olsun. Yeni Yil da hersey gonlunuzce olsun.
2009 ATASC Board: Aytac Biber, Leyla Cohen, Volkan Duygun, Metin Mangir, Vega Sankur, Ersin Sengul, Ergun Tamer, Burcu Tansu, Hafize Turgut, Ayse Ulubay, Asuman Yilmaz
Posted by atasc on September 4, 2009 at 16:35 pm
TURKISH AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND FRIENDS CELEBRATED THE TURKISH REPUBLIC with a very unifying and fun filled REPUBLIC DAY Ball at Long Beach organized by ATASC with the collaboration of all the ATASC chapters: ATASC-SD, LATAA, OCTAA, TALL, VATAN
The Turkish American Community was present in large numbers to celebrate the 86th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Republic. The ball room was well decorated with red and white carnations and Turkish and American Flags befitting the theme of the Ball. ATASC volunteers, including students from UCLA , worked all day to prepare the room and the foyer and were still putting the last touches when the guests started arriving.
ATASC President Vega Sankur accepts the Proclamation from Long Beach
There was a very festive and joyful atmosphere befitting the changes the founding of the Republic brought to people’s lives in Turkey: Freedom, Democracy, Equality, Education and Enlightenement. Master of Ceremonies Demetra George Mustafaoglu opened the event with American and Turkish National Anthems. ATASC President Vega Sankur gave a short welcoming speech reminding all attendees of the importance of this day (and what this celebration is all about). She welcomed guests representing
SCLB President Mike Vaughn reads the Proclamation
Turkish, Azerbaijan, and Northern Cyprus Governments as well as from the offices of Congresswoman Richardson and Assemblymember Blumenthal. The President of Sister Cities Long Beach Mr. Mike Vaughn read the Proclamation of Republic Day by the City of Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster. The Proclamation is in celebration of Turkish Republic Day on October 29, 2009. The council general of Turkey Mr. Hakan Tekin asked the crowd to support the ATASC organization. community, each other and Turkey. US Representative from the 46th District Congressman Dana
Council General Hakan Tekin speaks to the Ball attendee's
Rochbacher followed with a speech in which he reminded all attendees about Turkey’s critical role in this complex region and the strong supportive role it has played for theUS the last 60 years. He commended the Turkish American community for finally finding their voices and becoming more active in advocacy. ATAA President Elect Mr. Ergun Kirlikovali also addressed the attendees about the recent positive news in the legal and advocacy areas by ATAA operating out of Washington DC.
Yore Folk Dance Group
The entertainment started with the Yore Dance Group performing 3 different dances interspersed with music arranged by our skillful DJ Devran Mustafaoglu. The crowd really appreciated the Zeybek and the Black Sea dances. Ms. Demetra George Mustafaoglu conducted the live auction of the two THY (Turk Hava Yollari – Turkish Airlines) tickets and the National Soccer Team (Milli Takim) uniform raising funds for ATASC. Following the auction, Ferhat Atli and his music brought all to the dance floor to dance to beautiful music. The music, dancing and the socializing went on until 1:00 am where the event had to come to an end although some of the guests were still immensely enjoying themselves.
The Dancing continued until early morning.
ATASC would like to recognize all the volunteers who made this ball the elegant and fun event that it was. Asuman Yilmaz, Burcu Tansu, Hafize Turgut, Didem Yilmaz, Yasemin Doker, Maria Cakiroglu, Zinnur Guvenc, Arzu Kocyigit, Aydan Atrek, Gizem, Meltem, Seda and Ilker. You all worked very hard. You have our heartfelt thanks.
CUMHURIYETIMIZE LAYIK BIR BALO OLDU.
HEP BERABER BU MUTLU GUNU KUTLADIK.
ULU ONDERIMIZ ATATURK U ANDIK.
NE MUTLU TURKUM DIYENE.
Vega Sankur for ATASC Board
Posted by atasc on November 11, 2009 at 15:50 pm
- Attendee’s at the 10 Kasim Ceremony
ATASC, Association of Turkish Americans and UCLA Turkish Student Association organized a joint ceremony on the 10 th of November at UCLA to commemorate Ataturk’s life, accomplishments and his legacy. There were more than 90 people who had braved LA evening traffic to attend this ceremony and to pay their respects to the founder of Modern Turkey and to his principles and ideals.
The ceremony followed a program put together by ATASC members; enlivened by frequent audience participation. It opened up with a Moment of Silence followed by the presentation by Vega Sankur. She explained that the purpose of this event is twofold: One is pure rememberance for those of us who are very familiar with his legacy. The other is to inform and educate those who are not as familiar as us such as the first and second generation Turkish Americans and the American Public at large.
Thomas talking about Ataturk's heroism at Anafartalar, Gallipoli Battle
The program followed his youth from Selanik to Istanbul. Vedat Gursoylu played a Rumeli folk song to the accompaniment of the audience. We talked about his heroism at Gallipoli and how that heroism changed the flow of history. The story of the watch that saved his life was recited. During Gallipoli Battle, Ataturk was at the front of his troops when a shrapnel hit him where his heart was. It pierced the watch given to him as a present by the same teacher who also gave him the middle name Kemal (Perfect). His life was thus spared to allow him to save Turkey from enemies and be written into the larger history.
After the map of Sevres Treaty and the situation that led to Ataturk starting the National Resistance Movement, the audience watched a 9 minute video about the Turkish Independence War. It was a good description of the dire situation in Anotolia after WWI, the Sevres Treaty and the Allied invasions. The Turkish Lands were divvied up by the Powers of the day, with the Empire crumbling and the Sultan collaborating with British Forces. It showed how Ataturk and hs commanders built a new Assembly in Ankara as the center of Resistance, built an army and fought all the powers one by one to save the motherland. It reminded us all how sacred that Independence was to us won by blood, sacrifice and great difficulty.
Most of the time was spent to talk about the 15 years of revolutionary change upon his 
Presidency. We discussed his vision for Modern Turkey, and the reforms that resulted from that vision. There was a lot of audience participation where people stated how these effected them, their families and their thinking.
Foremost in his thoughts was Peace, like all War Hero’s who knew firsthand the price of war. He made peace with all the nations that had atacked Turkey. His call to Anzacs is one of the most touching and peaceful adress in history.
His desire for a secular state was to seperate the public institutions (law, education, government) from the influence of religion. He wanted a nation who was free thinking and used scientific reasoning without the cloud of some fundementalist
elements. He did not – as some people claim – banish religion, but elevated it to its proper spritual domain. The other public, legal and educational reforms were discussed one by one. His 10th anniversary speech was broadcast.
His later years was remembered by a Sari Zeybek danced by Vedat and Ergun. The program ended with another moment of silence followed by the Turkish National Anthem.
ATASC thanks UCLA TurkSA for arranging this event and the attendee’s for the lively, intellectual and emotional discussions. We will make 10 Kasim Ceremony a yearly event with interesting programs in which we both honors Ataturk on this day, but also try to educate people on his legacy.
UNUTMADIK, UNUTTURMAYACAGIZ.
Etched in Our Hearts
Posted by atasc on January 6, 2010 at 22:32 pm
ATASC 2010 Proxy Form
« Older Entries
Ataturk made Peace with all the countries even with the ones we fought only years before: His vision was:
