With over 18 years of service at ATAA, which includes serving as ATAA legal counsel, ATAA Secretary General, and since 2004 ATAA Vice President for the critical United States Capital Region, I am uniquely qualified to move ATAA forward into a new era.

A practicing attorney since 1994, my specialty is international law with a focus on U.S.-Turkish relations, Turkish American interests, and U.S.-Turkish business. I live and work in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, where the ATAA is headquartered, with direct access to American leaders and policy makers.

As a law and policy consultant on critical issues in U.S.-Turkish relations, such as the Armenian allegation of genocide, Turkish Cypriot self-determination, PKK Kurdish nationalist terrorism, and the Aegean dispute, I have spoken before a variety of institutions such as the U.S. Department of State, Turkish General Staff, Turkish National Security Council, European Council, NATO, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, Gazi University, Bilkent University, Ankara University, the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commerce (TOBB), Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), and the Istanbul Rotary Club.

My writings have been published in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, International Herald-Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Barrister Lawyer’s Magazine. My efforts on behalf of Turkish Americans and Turkey have been written about in major Turkish newspapers, such as Hurriyet, Milliyet, Sabah, Zaman, and Radikal.

As a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, as well as consultant to writers from National Geographic, New York Times Magazine, Time International, and the Atlantic Monthly, I have seen and experienced the places that are dictating the agenda of U.S.-Turkish relations today, including eastern and southeast Turkey, Cyprus and Iraq. I would urge you to read, “The Ends of the Earth” and “The Coming Anarchy”, by Robert Kaplan, who I assisted in Turkey.

A second-generation Turkish American, I am deeply connected to my Turkish roots, while being fully integrated into American society, and speaking both Turkish and English fluently. I visit Turkey for work and family at least twice a year, and have a deep and natural understanding of both Turkish and American cultures.

I have found myself in the public service of Turkish Americans for love of country. In 1925, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk expressed to the United States:

“I hope that the understanding [between the people of Turkey and America] will deeply root the dialog that exists between the two nations. But, dialogue is merely the starting point, from which we must develop mutual appreciation and trust, for the world to take as an example, despite those who may seek to destroy this relationship. Global peace is the humanitarian aim of the new Turkish Republic, I assure the American people.”

The Turkish American community and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations are critical to protect and develop dialogue, appreciation and trust between the people and leaders of the United States and Turkey, and to breath life into Atatürk’s words for all time.

My fellow Turkish-Americans, many uncertainties and challenges lay ahead in U.S.-Turkish relations. As allegations of genocide by the multi-million dollar Armenian American lobby intensify, these efforts will seek to stamp Turks worldwide, including Turkish Americans, as criminals of the high crime of genocide. The real threat of a division Iraq and the ripple affect into Turkey via the escalation in PKK terror to full-out insurgency is growing. In addition, Turkey may face friction from Greece with respect to the Aegean Sea and Cyprus. These matters may take the form of additional or unofficial conditions for Turkish-EU accession.

It is in these challenging times, that we Turkish Americans will benefit most from our legendary solidarity, and play a critical role in educating the American people and leaders, and advocating the best interests of U.S.-Turkish relations.

I would be honored to be your next ATAA President-Elect in this noble effort, and I hope you will vote for me.

Günay Evinch shares his thoughts and goals for the Turkish American community on Episode 17 at Turkish American Hour. (link)

Günay Evinch and the Jewish American group, Anti Defamation League, worked together to stop anti-Turkish/Muslim racism in the media during the 2002 World Cup. (link)

Günay Evinch, United States Fulbright Scholar, researches the Armenian Revolt of March 1915, in Van, Eastern Turkey. (link)