About us - Our Past, Present, and Future

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Our association was originally founded in 2009 with the leadership of several long time volunteers (Ertunga Cem Ozelkan, Okan Pala and Cinar Gulkanat) as the American Turkish Association of North Carolina - Charlotte (ATA-NC Charlotte) as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. ATA-NC Charlotte operated for twelve years as a regional chapter of American Turkish Association of North Carolina (ATA-NC) headquartered in Raleigh. In 2021, ATA-NC Charlotte Board concluded that our organization is mature enough to stand on its own feet, which started our journey as the Association of Turkish-Americans in Charlotte (ATA Charlotte).

Since our inception in 2009 and before, we have organized countless cultural, educational, and social events to bring more visibility to the Turkish-American community in Charlotte, from Turkish Festivals to booths at the International Festivals at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to Bayram celebrations and fundraising events to benefit underprivileged individuals and families in our region. Our organization is proud to provide support and collaborate with other local organizations such as ATA-NC, Bridge to Turkiye Fund (BTF), Safe Alliance, and Hope House Foundation of Huntersville, NC.

Our mission is to continue to our community by promoting Turkish culture, history and customs, by hosting social, educational and cultural events and activities, and by supporting other community organizations in our region that change and save lives every day.

With your support, we hope to unite the ever-growing population of Charlotte residents of Turkish descent, and give back to our Charlotte community that has been so welcoming and generous to generations of Turkish immigrants.

If you are interested in becoming a member of ATA Charlotte, please visit our Membership page.

ATA-Charlotte is managed by its volunteer Executive Committee and Board of Directors consisting of individuals who have enthusiastically committed their time and money to the advancement of our mission. Board elections are held online in early November during the annual General Assembly meeting. If you are a regular member who is interested in running for a Board seat or know of someone who can contribute to our mission, please contact our Nominations and Elections Committee at nec@charlotteturks.org.

Our operations are governed by our Bylaws and guided by the policies and procedures adopted by our Board. We strive to be a transparent and accountable organization deserving of the trust placed in us by our membership. Every Board member signs our Board Member Agreement, Confidentiality Agreement, and completes our Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure. Committee members who have access to member records are also required to sign our Confidentiality Agreement.

Our commitment to transparency is guaranteed in our Bylaws. We are required to have our books and operations audited annually by an independent committee of regular members. Our financial and governance records are always open to all regular members for their review. (Note that our confidentiality policy forbids us from sharing the identities of our individual donors; please contact executive@charlotteturks.org for more information).

Members who observe any action that violates the law, Bylaws or ATA-Charlotte policies and procedures are strongly encouraged to report the violation anonymously to the Audit Committee at audit@charlotteturks.org and to the ATA-Charlotte President at president@charlotteturks.org. ATA-Charlotte will not retaliate against any member, director, officer, or volunteer who in good faith, has made a protest or raised a complaint against some practice of ATA-Charlotte or of another individual or entity with whom ATA-Charlotte has a business relationship.

The Internal Events Committee is responsible for planning and coordinating all social, cultural, and educational activities within the budgetary guidelines established by the Board of Directors to engage the membership, such as picnics, hiking, camping, visits to zoos, mountain or beach activities, etc. To get more information on the activities of this committee, please visit the Events link on our website or contact us at internal@charlotteturks.org.

The Communications Committee develops and maintains all means of communication including social media resources and collaborating with the Board to provide an effective, consistent message in print, online and social media resources. If you are interested in this committee’s work, please contact us at communications@charlotteturks.org.

The Finance Committee serves the Organization by maintaining accurate financial records, overseeing its financial strategy and performance, and raising funds to meet its budget goals. If you are interested in this committee’s work, please contact us at finance@charlotteturks.org.

The Charlotte Community Outreach Committee creates and identifies organized and enjoyable community service activities for our members. To get more information on the activities of this committee, please visit the Events link on our website or contact us at outreach@charlotteturks.org.

The Volunteer Committee secures volunteers for the internal and external events of the Organization. If you are interested in this committee’s work or would like to volunteer with us, please contact us at volunteer@charlotteturks.org.

The Nominations & Elections Committee cultivates and secures candidates for the Board elections and conducts the annual election, in accordance with provisions of the Bylaws. If you are a regular member interested in an elected position in our organization, please contact the committee at nec@charlotteturks.org.

The Membership Committee serves the Organization by maintaining accurate and timely records of membership and by developing and implementing effective membership recruitment and retention activities. If you are interested in this committee’s work, please contact us at membership@charlotteturks.org.

The Turkish Heritage Committee is responsible for collecting information on the history of Turkish immigration to Charlotte and neighboring areas. If you are interested in this committee’s work or would like to volunteer with us, please contact us at heritage@charlotteturks.org.