Immigration, Integration, and Loyalty: The Turkish American Experience

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Immigration, Integration, and Loyalty The
Turkish American Experience

• Günay Evinch
• President
• Assembly of Turkish American Associations
• Conference on the Social Integration of
  Immigrants in Maryland
• Social Integration and Community Development
  Association
• State of Maryland,
• Asian American Studies Program of the University
  of Maryland
• GRL Development LLC
• September 22, 2009, Annapolis, Maryland

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Immigrations

• 1700s Prisoners of War of Ottoman Heritage
• 1910s Ottoman Muslim Refugees from the Balkans
• and Turkish Refugees from the Middle East
• 1950s US-imported Engineers, Physicians
• 1990s Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Skilled and
  
• Unskilled Labor
• 2007 A Community Awakened, Alive and Active

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The Turkish American Community Today

• 500,000 Turkish and Turkic Americans
• Diverse education, social, economic,
  religiousity
• Diverse associations
• Liberal Secular Conservative Secular
  Faith Based
• Threat of polarizations based on
  religiousity/secularity issues in Turkey
• Threat of isolation based on domestic ethnic
  politics in United States

4
Community StrategiesSince 2007

• A. Solidarity within Diversity
• - consolidate critical mass for community issues
• - consolidate human assets
• - confidence building through cooperation
• - civic engagement training
• - culture of tolerance
• B. Three Dimensional Community Building
• 1. direct public education, advocacy, lobbying
  engaged
• 2. political action committees investing
• 3. constitutional rights actively protecting

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The Individual in the Community

• Feeling that elected officials and media are
  caring more
• Feeling that the media is understanding better
• Feeling that democracy is working for them
  better, that the judicial system is protecting
  them better.
• Excited about pursuing hi/hers dreams
• Proud about his/her accomplishments
• Sensing his/her dignity
• Appreciative
• Loyal

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Who is a Turkish American?A grandson of an
Ottoman
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The son of children of the new Turkish Republic
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I am a Turkish American!
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A daughter of America!
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Sagolun,Varolun