“Turkish Americans Gaining Power through Grassroots”:
TACA Grassroots – Public Outreach Program is part of a nationwide program initiated last year by the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) as a series of Grassroots Networking meetings titled “Turkish Americans Gaining Power through Grassroots”.
In 2008, ATAA program was carried out in more than 30 cities across the United States. The meetings were geared at activating the Turkish American community, as well as sharing information with the community on how to be more civically active citizens. The presentations focused on ATAA’s strategic and public outreach plan and new ideas for the Turkish American community with details about specific skill sets and methodologies for Turkish Americans to be more effective advocates for Turkey and Turkish American issues. The seminars also included informative, detailed and fact-based presentation on issues that are currently confronting the Turkish American community. Following the seminars ATAA staff assisted in arranging meetings for constituents with their local representatives in Congress. Due to the fact that many members of the Turkish American community are new to such processes, ATAA makes the facilitation of this process one of its top priorities.
As part of this Public Outreach Plan, last November ATAA held its fourth Grassroots Networking meeting in Chicago in cooperation with TACA. ATAA President Nurten Ural and Advocacy Director Allison Block gave a presentation about ATAA and how the Turkish American community of Midwest can be better advocates for Turkey and Turkish American issues. After the presentation we exchanged ideas for organizing an effective grassroots movement in our area and decided to establish a grassroots committee under TACA’s umbrella. While in Chicago, together with ATAA representatives, we also visited the office of Chicago-area Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s office with constituents from her district.
Following the TACA General Assembly meeting the grassroots committee co-chairs are elected to cooperate fully with ATAA to ensure the continuation of their efforts in the local level. Like any other grassroots movement, ours needs many volunteers from the local Turkish American community who can give their time to be successful both locally and nationally.
Our mission is to educate the general public about Turkey and Turkish Americans and provide information to concerned individuals so that they can express their informed opinion on critical issues to interested parties. To achieve this and to become better advocates for Turkey and Turkish American issues, we, the local Turkish American community, must become more informed and civically active citizens.
To this end, our activities will include organizing informative discussion panels, workshops, and presentations on Turkish American issues; educating our children, young Turkish Americans about Turkish culture and history to prepare them against negative portrayal of Turks and Turkish Americans in the community; encouraging Turkish American community to actively watch for any defamation activity and organize to discuss accusations or answer questions if needed; monitoring local print, online and broadcast media and organizing our local community to respond to news stories and programs by distributing “talking points”; monitoring the Illinois education system and curriculum at college, high school, and lower levels to ensure fair and accurate presentation of Turkish history; arranging visits with congressional and Illinois State representatives; and finally, monitoring federal (ATAA does this), state and city level legislation and activities at the Governor’s and Mayor’s Offices regarding Turkey and other related events, attending meetings and tracking the City Council agenda if necessary.
We need volunteers to serve in subcommittees to support all our activities to help our community to become better advocates. Please contact us and let us know in which area you would like to participate and help. Thank you.