Cal Prep's Sania Mahmaud will be at UC Berkeley -- will you?
January is an exciting time at the Bay Area Urban Debate League (BAUDL) — on January 21, despite rain and distance, over 40 students made the trek to Alameda, officially kicking off the second semester with rounds of free bowling. Showing off their array of talents (or, in some cases, that debate was truly the right activity for them…), the event featured the community and camaraderie that has become BAUDL’s foundation. Two days later, rigorous workshops were in full swing in Oakland and in San Francisco. Theory and transitions were the main topics of conversation as debaters prepared for the main event.
Yet, the most exciting event of January will occur during the month’s end — on January 30, teams will face off at the renowned University of California, Berkeley. This is a particularly exciting tournament since many formerly Novice teams will officially move to the great unknown –- an unchartered territory known as the Varsity Division. Exciting, terrifying, anxiety-ridden, but ultimately worthwhile (and not as scary as it seems), the Berkeley tournament anticipates the large influx of brave and brilliant new Varsity teams this semester.
Putting a face to our many transitioning teams is Sania Mahmaud, a first year debate at California College Preparatory (Cal Prep). Together with her partner, Yami Mchombo, a well prepared Sania will be debating in the Varsity Division for the first time. Sania represents the courageous plunge into Varsity debate. She sat down for a few minutes at the Oakland workshop to talk about what debate means to her and her multi-lingual talents.
Question: How did you get started in debate?
Sania Mahmaud: [Cal Prep’s Carlene Ervin]’s mom told my mom about debate. I like to argue a lot, but was not too good at winning at home. As I started to debate, my mother began to comment, “Your arguments have improved. But, I’m still your mom.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about debate that has made you stick with it?
SM: Meeting all the different people in debate that you would not normally meet otherwise. I like how we’re all here for a common purpose, so it is easy to meet other people.
Q: How has debate changed you?
SM: I am able to put a voice to my opinions in a positive manner without using profanity or yelling.
Q: What are your future plans (other than, of course, being at the UC Berkeley Tournament and doing great)?
SM: I really want to go to [UC Berkeley] for college and become a linguist. I love to study languages in my free time, on the side of debate. I am really interested in languages and I can hold my own in Japanese and German!
We’ll see Sania on January 30 at UC Berkeley — as well as other talented BAUDL debaters!
