Watch BAUDL Executive Director, Blake Johnson, debate as a part of the famed Oklahoma CJ!

As we speak, nearly $11,000 dollars has been raised to support the Bay Area Urban Debate League through “The Bay Area Urban Debate League Presents…The 2010 Pro Debate Tournament Sponsored by Boston Properties.”  It is not too late to support a team or donate to the overall cause!  Visit the official Pro Debate website for more information!

As we speak, participants in the Pro Debate Tournament are debating it out at the Oakland Marriott City Center (1001 Broadway)! Official pairings are posted below — be sure to stop by our Silent Auction (win gift certificates, hotel vouchers, massages, two nights in Tahoe and much more!) and witness our final round and award ceremony.  It all begins at 5:30 PM.  Visit the official Pro Debate website for a full schedule of events!

Continue reading ‘Official Pairings: 2010 Pro Debate Tournament, Sponsored by Boston Properties’

They’ve won every conceivable award in college debate: CEDA Champions.  NDT Top Speakers.  Copeland Award Winners.  Harvard Invitational Champions.  They are now graduate scholars, law school students, entrepreneurs, and Executive Directors to the Bay Area Urban Debate League.  They have something else in common aside from their respective successes: They are coming together to bring debate into every classroom in the Bay Area.  To date, they have raised over $10,000 for the Bay Area Urban Debate League.

20 Debaters, 10 Teams, 2 Wheels, 1 cause, all outlined below.  We hope to see you on March 24, 2010 for “The Bay Area Urban Debate League Presents: The 2010 Pro Debate Tournament” — hosted at the Oakland Marriott City Center (1001 Broadway) and sponsored by Boston Properties.  It is not too late to root for your favorite team and donate to a great cause!

Wheel 1:

Berkeley BW (Michael Burshteyn & Craig Wickersham)
Debate What! (Ede Warner & Tiffany Dillard-Knox)
School of Athens RJ (Jason Regnier & PaulJohnson)
Serius Biznis (Alexis Litzky & Stephanie Eisenberg)
Tripod v. 2.0 (Michael Klinger & Jonah Feldman)

Wheel 2:

Debate Realness With A Twist (Deven Cooper & Rashad Evans)
doubtwecarebutheywhynot?!? (Sam Iola & Jake Ziering)
eDebate All-Stars (Jon Sharp & Michael Hester)
Oklahoma CJ (Blake Johnson & Connor Cleary)
The Maoists (Jordan Mills & Issac Peck)

Click more to view the official round pairings for “The Bay Area Urban Debate League Presents: The 2010 Pro Debate Tournament”.

Continue reading ‘Great Debaters Don’t Retire, They Just Get Jobs (And Return for BAUDL.)’

You're officially invited to "The Bay Area Urban Debate League Presents: The 2010 Pro Debate Tournament."

On March 24, 2010, 10 teams consisting of the most decorated debaters in collegiate debate history will convene at the Oakland Marriott City Center (1001 Broadway) to reinforce their legacies and debate it out at “The Bay Area Urban Debate League Presents: The Pro Debate Tournament.”  The event, generously sponsored by Boston Properties, will feature the teams in a round-robin format.  Pride, however, is secondary to cause.  To date, the teams have raised nearly $10,000 to fund debate teams in under resourced schools in Oakland and San Francisco.

The tournament is a full day affair, but the main event begins at 5:30 PM when observers of the tournament will be able to bid on Silent Auction items — accompanied by an full, open bar and leading to the tournament’s final round at 8:30 PM.  Among the diverse array of items are two nights in Tahoe, Oakland A’s tickets, various items from the great McSweeney’s, wine tasting tours, gift certificates galore from popular Bay Area venues, and much more.  The auction’s close will lead to the after-party at 9:00 PM featuring karaoke.

Come out and support 10 fantastic teams and the urban debate movement in the Bay Area!  It is not too late to donate!  Visit the tournament’s official website to root for your favorite team.

“The Bay Area Urban Debate League Presents: The 2010 Pro Debate Tournament” Schedule, March 24:

8:30 AM:  Round 1
10:30 AM: Round 2
1:00 PM: Round 3
3:00 PM: Round 4
5:00 PM: Round 5
5:30 PM: Silent Auction Begins, Bar Opens
7:15 PM: Silent Auction Closes
8:00 PM: Award Ceremony
8:30 PM: Finals
9:00 PM – 12:00 AM: After Party Featuring Karaoke

Jazmin Garcia, of the Fremont Federation of High Schools, will get the last word on the Affirmative on Welfare Reform.

Tomorrow night, seven BAUDL debaters will analyze the some of the most important issues of their generation before a full audience in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board Room (1025 2nd Avenue in Downtown Oakland) and for viewers following along on Comcast Channel 27.  This March 11 event, scheduled from 7 – 9 PM, will feature two debates: Healthcare Reform and Welfare Reform.  Representing the affirmative on Healthcare Reform are Skyline High School’s Rashid Campbell and California Preparatory Academy’s Natassija Jordan.  On the negative are Skyline debate co-captains, Kayla Wheatfall and Zach Seidl.  Representing the affirmative on Welfare Reform are the Fremont Federation of High School’s Jazmin Garcia and Juan Ramos.  On the negative is EXCEL Academy’s Tanesha Walker and Kayla Wheatfall from Skyline High School.

The debate promises to be exciting as indicated by an excerpt of Jazmin Garcia’s first constructive speech:

The biggest problem facing the U.S today is poverty. There were 37.3 million people in poverty in the United States in 2007. More and more people are in poverty everyday, and the current welfare system only traps them in cycles of poverty. Giving them only little to get by and for only a short amount of time, millions of people find themselves trapped in poverty without the opportunity to progress.

Come watch the rest of Jazmin’s speech as well as six of the finest opinions of our generation in the OUSD Board Room and on Comcast 27!

Rashid Campbell of Skyline High School represents BAUDL and the power of debate in H.Y.P.E. Magazine

The Bay Area Urban Debate League hands out trophies at every tournament — yet the rewards are far greater than that.  Through research, argumentation, and the debate rounds themselves, BAUDL debaters become a participants in political dialogue and are given a forum to contribute their personal narratives (and quirks) to the community.  One prime example is Rashid Campbell, a senior, Varsity debater from Oakland’s Skyline High School who was recently featured in H.Y.P.E. Magazine in a feature written by BAUDL Summer Institute Instructor (as well as Writer and Artist), Shauntrice Martin.  The full article can be viewed on H.Y.P.E.’s blog.

Martin profile about Campbell captures many things. Of them, the article describes the spirit and multi-talented nature of a BAUDL debater:

On any given day, you can find Rashid at debate practice, in the studio, practicing martial arts, participating in African dance, or politicking on some Oakland block. He swings his dreads like a modern day prophet and discusses the current conditions in his city…[talking] about this year’s debate topic, Rashid explains his definition of poverty saying, “the definition of poverty to me is the lower class which are needed to support the higher class.”

Furthermore, Campbell embodies how debate becomes not just an activity, but a way to see the world in relation to ourselves and as a positive outlet for individual expression:

A few months ago, Rashid was one of the alarmingly large numbers of homeless youth in the Bay area, so he’s had hands on experience with this year’s debate topic: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase social services to persons living in poverty in the United States. Its crazy how this society preps young men and women of color to be cast away like trash that can’t be recycled.

Many of us can’t relate to having to sue our parents for independence, but even more of us are acutely aware that we may have grown up too fast. Rashid’s definition of politics is shaped by having to dodge “boosie” people and living off the idea that failure is not an option. His swag seems to penetrate the unfortunate reality of his environment. Most wouldn’t expect his cool amp; positive demeanor.

Click here to view the full profile of an exceptional BAUDL debater. You can also see Rashid in action at many future BAUDL events — the Balboa High School Tournament (1000 Cayuga) in San Francisco on Saturday March 6 beginning at 9 AM and as the first affirmative speech on Healthcare reform at BAUDL and STRONG Presents: Part II, The Strength of Debate Series at the Oakland Unified School District Board Room (1025 2nd Avenue in Downtown Oakland) from 7 to 9 PM.

Skyline High School

On Thursday, March 11 at 7 PM, members of the community will convene in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board Room (1025 2nd Avenue in Downtown Oakland) to watch a highly anticipated event: Part II: The Strength of Debate Series.  The event, a collaboration between BAUDL and Standing to Represent our Next Generation (STRONG) is open to the public and features eight talented debaters from Oakland.

Among the eight is Skyline High School’s Kyla Wheatfall — a senior, second year BAUDL debater, and 2008-2009 BAUDL National Qualifier.  In typical Kyla form, Wheatfall sat down with BAUDL at the January Oakland Workshop as she rocked a mohawk (see above.) and articulated her thoughtful insight and passion for debate.

Question: How did you get started in debate?  What got you hooked?
Kyla Wheatfall: I watched “The Great Debaters” — then our coach (Christopher Scheer) started a debate team and invited me to join.  I said “yes!” and was hooked right away.

Q: What keeps you in the activity?
KW: I stayed because I enjoy it — the topic is interesting to learn and it is related to all of us in Oakland.  I also found some really good friends from all schools.  Last year, I knew a lot of the debaters including [2009 BAUDL Alum, Jessica Winsey].

Q: What has been your fondest BAUDL memory?
KW: Last year, we went to Nationals!  It was crazy going to Chicago for academic reasons.

Q: How has debate impacted your life?
KW: You can change people’s mind with debate, become a better speaker, improve your grades, and, most of all, get respect from your teachers and counselors.  When you debate your teachers KNOW you.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
KW: I am a senior right now, so I would love to go to a junior college, go to college, and continue with debate.  I want to coach and mentor.  The activity is incredibly fun and I’d love to work for the activity!

Watch Kyla (sans mohawk, unfortunately) in action along with seven other incredible BAUDL debaters on March 11 at 7 PM at the OUSD Board Room!

On Thursday, March 11 from 7 PM to 9 PM in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board Room (1025 2nd Avenue in Downtown Oakland), eight talented BAUDL debaters will show the public the power of their words in Part II: The Strength of Debate Series.  The event, presented in collaboration with Standing to Represent our Next Generation (STRONG) will feature two debates: one about reforming health care and one that closely examines the welfare system.  The debates will be a showcase of research, argumentation, and the intelligence of Oakland debaters as they examine the event’s theme: The Fight Against Poverty.

The event will be open to the public and attendance is highly encouraged.  Come out and support our debaters: Natassija Jordan (Cal Prep), Kayla Wheatfall (Skyline), Rashid Campbell (Skyline), Tanesha Walker (EXCEL), Jazmin Garcia (Fremont Federation of High Schools), Juan Ramos (Fremont Federation of High Schools), and Zach Seidl (Skyline High School).

Please contact Blake Johnson at blakejohnson@baudl.org if you have any questions!  We look forward to seeing you (and all your friends) there!

About STRONG:

STRONG is an organization dedicated to creating a voice for people under the age of 30 in the landscape of American politics.  We seek to increase the participation of youth in politics as well as represent their issues.  This organization will represent the future of our country.  So many issues that are discussed today directly impact people under the age of 30 more than any other social group.  It is important that these young people have a voice in the world politics.  Currently, young people are the only social group that are not represented in policy making decisions.  This is the gap that STRONG aims to fill.  For more information, check out http://www.wearestrong.org.