“By attending the ATAA conference, you will experience the joy and pride of being part of a strong and vibrant Turkish American community.”

By Sitki Kazanci


The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) is the largest democratically elected Turkish American membership organization in the United States, representing over 50 local chapters nationwide. Since its founding in 1979, ATAA has been dedicated to uniting, supporting, and advocating for the Turkish American community while fostering collaboration among numerous social and cultural organizations.
Beyond community engagement, ATAA plays a crucial role in raising awareness, mobilizing support, and advocating for Turkish American interests in Washington, DC, and across the country. Whether addressing key issues affecting Turkish Americans or working to ensure a balanced and accurate representation of Türkiye in the US, ATAA remains a steadfast pillar of support for the community.
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with ATAA President Dr Nilufer Esen-Bilgin to discuss the organization’s mission, ongoing initiatives, and the highly anticipated upcoming conference, which aims to bring together leaders and advocates to further strengthen the voice of Turkish Americans.

Can you share a success story from ATAA’s programs that you are particularly proud of?
ATAA has pursued many successful programs during the last 45 years. Still, I would like to mention the most recent one, the Child Amputee of Türkiye Earthquake (CATE) project that started on Feb 6, 2023, after the earthquake in Türkiye. I was the president-elect at that time, and with my connections, ATAA became one of the founding partners of this still ongoing, successful project, which provided prosthesis, psychological, and educational support to more than 150 children.

What has been the most challenging moment in your term as ATAA president?
I feel lucky I did not experience many challenges, but organizing a fruitful and successful conference is always stressful. The feedback we got last year shows that we succeeded in 2024 and would like to repeat it in 2025, too.
What is the vision for ATAA in the next five years?
ATAA continues to focus on its foundational mission: fostering cohesion among Turkish American organizations, advocating for their interests, and strengthening US-Türkiye relations. This is achieved through educational seminars, cultural events, leadership training, and charitable activities. Additionally, a key priority will be actively engaging Turkish American youth in ATAA’s activities and committees, fostering their involvement and leadership in the community.

The ATAA 2025 Annual Conference will be held on May 2-3, 2025, at the Westin Crystal City Reagan National Airport in Arlington, VA. Could you provide more details about the conference?
The conference will begin on Friday, May 2. We have arranged a Capitol Building tour for pre-registered attendees, followed by a reception at the Embassy residence, graciously hosted by Hon. Ambassador Sedat Önal.
Following the opening remarks on Saturday morning, Hon. Ambassador Sedat Önal and his counterpart from the US Department of State (pending confirmation) will provide brief insights into the current state of US-Türkiye relations. Throughout the day, participants can discuss key issues relevant to the Turkish American community. The session topics include:
◗ Political Activity Committees: How they function, problems and solutions. Moderated by Lincoln McCurdy
◗ Türkiye – USA Trade issues: Moderated by Nurten Ural
◗ How to engage Turkish Language Day at the UN?: Moderated by Alev Wieland
◗ Turkish Schools in the United States: How to make them accredited! Moderated by Prof. Dr. Mehmet E. Yaya
◗ Exploring Generational Leadership: Moderated by Mehmet Efe Taşcıoğlu
For each session we are working meticulously to invite the distinguished speakers who have expertise on the subject. The complete list of speakers will be finalized soon.
The conference will end with the gala dinner, during which we will have the award ceremony and live music entertainment.

How can members and the wider community participate or contribute to the conference?
ATAA’s annual conferences offer a unique opportunity for Turkish Americans from across the US to come together, connect, learn, and engage in meaningful discussions. This experience would otherwise be difficult to achieve.
By the end of the conference, you will feel the joy and pride of being part of a strong and vibrant Turkish American community. I have attended the conferences since 2016 and have observed that every attendee leaves with a sense of happiness, pride in their Turkish heritage, and fulfillment from contributing to the community.
My advice for the Turkish American community would be: Make it a priority to attend each year and embrace these invaluable experiences. Individual members of ATAA would get a discount at the conference registration.
For detailed information on conference participation and sponsorship opportunities, please visit the official website.

When is the ATAA General Assembly scheduled?
The General Assembly is typically held the day after the conference, serving as a key decision-making forum for ATAA. During this meeting, election results are approved, the annual and proposed budgets are discussed, first-time memberships of component associations are considered, and representatives of active component associations present their activity reports.
The General Assembly is composed of:
1- Members of the Board of Directors
2- Members of the Board of Trustees
3- Two delegates from each active component association, with an additional delegate for every 100 members beyond the initial 100.

Being a component association of ATAA grants the privilege of participating in decision-making. With representation from component associations at the delegates’ meeting and 10 vice presidents on the Board of Directors—each elected to represent different US regions—ATAA is the country’s largest democratically represented Turkish American umbrella organization. ■