Vol. 4 Issue. I Women’s Debate Institute Winter 2014

Our Community Quarterly

A Community of Voices Speak Out As many of our readers already and colonial pasts and presents. sought alliances with communi- know, debate is an amazing These lessons have been taught ties actively speaking out against Inside this issue: community to be a member of. in schools throughout the na- oppression both in debate and Even those who no longer de- tion yet coaches within the de- beyond. We are committed to Donor Update 2 bate or actively coach will often bate community have done continuing to develop these Student National Success 2 tell you debate played an essen- what teachers in countless class- relationships and we are confi- tial role in the person they have rooms strive to achieve—they dent that the intense debates Statement from the Board 3 become. While every communi- have motivated their students to emerging are a testament to the Student Board Member 3 ty has its challenges, and most read, learn, listen and reflect community’s strength and via- are stronger because of them, deeply about their histories, bility. In Memory 4 our activity is unique because themselves and their futures. We agree there is much work to Inside our Faculty 5 the debate competition is im- There is no doubt that these be done and will continue to Alumni Spotlight 5 mersed in the politics outside struggles affect community bring together young women the debate round. As racism, members in very deep and often and professionals to create an sexism, oppression, and exclu- challenging ways. Yet these environment that fosters com- sion are debated both inside and publicly-acknowledged awaken- munity, encourages girls to be- outside debate rounds, commu- ings make the difficult words lieve in themselves and speak nity members are forced to face worth speaking. The Women’s from both their minds and issues of privilege, patriarchy, Debate Institute has always hearts. Charting Courses aside time for senior faculty to meet indi- had the opportunity to participate in a low vidually with high school seniors to map ropes course. Statistically proven in to en- out plans for college success. The WDI packs a lot into our five day hance self-esteem and group communica- camp. In just a few days, we hope to in- Yet our mission of enhanced community tion skills, ropes courses engage participants crease the number of girls involved in de- requires a more organic approach. Bonfires, in problem solving, decision making, goals bate, encourage young women to attend group roundtables, communal games and setting and college and create an environment that fos- activities are all geared towards bringing trust. Rope ters community and respect. We offer doz- together a diverse group of women who course edu- ens of debate classes ranging from develop- share a love of debate. We pride ourselves cators re- ment topics, such as flowing and under- on our ability to attract a diverse group of port that standing , to enrichment con- young women ( debaters from New Mexico apprecia- cepts, such as competition and and Hawaii, we are looking to fill in your tion for intersectional theory. spot on the map) and we are working to personal strengths and weakness, respect enhance our already fantastic faculty to and value for differences, and conflict reso- We design classes for Policy and Lincoln- reflect these differences. lution are some of the important lessons Douglas debaters ranging from first year After hosting camp at different locations we developed through ropes course instruction. debaters to experienced college students. Our hope is that when students return to Our skilled staff includes national champion have finally found a home at the Audubon Center of the North Woods. We believe our classrooms and then their hometowns debaters and coaches actively involved at they bring with them the skills they cultivat- the both the high school and college level. that their leadership in environmental edu- cation, renewable energy and wildlife ed through this experience. And, when We fulfill our mission to encourage women preservation blends well with the type of they meet again at tournaments, they will to attend college by offering college applica- responsible community we hope to culti- continue to share the community lessons tion lectures that teach to how to apply, pay vate. This past year, somewhere between they developed at the WDI. for, and succeed in college. We also set topic talk and negative theory, students

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Donor News The WDI began its fundraising for 2014 with a revenue. Those donations went to pay for our generous offer from a donor: Mitch Benson camp venue, help defray travel costs of our all- offered to double donations up to $500! At the volunteer faculty (many of whom are current time of printing, we are now $300 towards that college debaters!), and support travel stipends goal. Help us fulfill Mitch's challenge totaling $5000 for 20 of our high school stu- by January 15 and donate now. dents. Mitch debated for Lewis and Clark College We could not operate without the generosity of where he was a contemporary of WDI found- so many of you who understand the benefits of ers Leah Castella and Jeff Shaw. Now a Senior debate. Thank you for your support! And help Vice President of Learning Technology at Pear- me thank Mitch by donating to the WDI right son Education, Mitch donates to the WDI now - when your donation can doubled! To because he "just wants to make sure others donate, visit womensdebateinstitute.org/ have the chance I had." In 2013, individual donors like Mitch provided 44% of our total For more information or to donate contact Sarah Glaser at [email protected]

WDI Student Wins Economic Debate National Win for WDI On October 20, 2013, former President George W. Bush crowned a new champion in his policy in- Student Board Member stitute’s annual high school economic debate competition, telling the participants, ―it’s awesome Lille Ouelette-Howitz you’re willing to compete.‖ Lillie Ouellette-Howitz from Minneapolis South High School in Minne- sota won, after she argued that privatization of Mexico’s energy sector would benefit the country’s people. Bush said the subject was ―fascinating‖ and that it ―required a lot of critical thinking.‖ And while George W. Bush Institute president Mar- garet Spellings noted that Bush ―knows a little something about debate himself,‖ the former presi- dent said that made him only more impressed with the students. ―When I debated as president, I got hours of prepara- tion,‖ Bush said. ―When you debated for the coveted prize, you got 20 minutes.‖ The Bush Institute – part of the George W. Bush Presi- dential Center at SMU [Southern Methodist University] expanded its debate competition this year to include re- gional qualifiers held across the country. About 500 stu- dents participated, with nearly 100 high schoolers traveling to North Texas for the final rounds. The debates are part of the institute’s 4% Growth Project, which aims to generate policy ideas to boost the U.S. economy. (Bush teased the project’s director, Amity Shlaes, by saying that a recovering economy means she still has lots of work to do.)

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Statement by the Women’s Debate Institute Board of Directors

December 18, 2013 underestimate women's actual skill, thus never giving women the perks, such as invitations to participate in prestigious Last week the Dartmouth Forensic Union, Dartmouth Col- events like this one, that open up opportunities for advance- lege’s organization, announced the seven teams ment. it is inviting to participate in the 2014 Dartmouth Round Rob- in. The Dartmouth Round Robin has long been seen as one of Exclusion from college debate continues to be a problem. The the college policy debate community’s most prestigious events. seven colleges and universities invited to Dartmouth this year have student bodies averaging 54 percent female students. We at the Women’s Debate Institute are saddened to see that Dartmouth’s own student body is half female. The problem is the list of 14 competitive participants included no women. not just representation at a single event, but representation on Our point is not to blame Dartmouth for its selections. In- the whole in college policy debate, which has never, to our stead, we wish to call attention to the exclusion of women at knowledge, even begun to approach parity. We continue to this event as an example of the ways in which women continue call for proportional representation in college debate as well as to be under-represented in debate, particularly at the highest in individual debate teams. We strongly urge all invitational levels of competition. debate activities to scrutinize their invitations and consider the advantage of inviting a diverse and While we are pleased that members of underrepresented iden- successful group of attendees. tity groups have been invited to this year’s round robin, we are also confident that our community can do better. Though we The Board of Directors are disappointed that women were not invited to participate as The Women’s Debate Institute ―we wish to call competitors, we are cheered to see many teams that are attention to the coached by women, including Sherry Hall of Harvard Univer- J. Leah Castella, Esq. sity, Adrienne Brovero of the University of Mary Washington, Cat Duffy exclusion of Kate Ortiz of Rutgers University, and Toya Green and Leah Sarah Glaser, Ph.D women at this Moczulski of Wake Forest University. There are many ways Devin Majkut event as an for women to participate in debate; even as we express con- Beth Mendenhall example of the cern for the activity’s continued lack of inclusion, we celebrate Catherine H. Palczewski, Ph.D. ways in which the accomplishments of these women. Aleava Sayre, Esq. women continue Rae Lynn Schwartz-DuPre, Ph.D to be under- Exclusion from the round robin is a problem. We have learned Kate Shuster, Ph.D represented in from research on organizational equality and pay equity that Christi Siver, Ph.D debate. . .‖ the problem is not just that qualified women are not recog- Carly Watson nized, but also that women are not given the chance to engage Brittany Williams in the activities that make them recognized. Organizational structures tend to reward men for their potential and tend to Student Board Representative: Alina Crouch

After immigrating into the United States from Russia, I was always attempting to find a place where I felt I belonged. I joined nu- merous organizations trying to find my niche, and finally, during my sophomore year, I found that place in Lincoln-Douglas de- bate . From there, I realized new passions, gained confidence (and trophies), and became more knowledgeable about the world around me.

As a student board representative, I would like to be a contributing factor to the camp that changed my life. I want to be part of the process that will al- low more female debaters to experience what I did at the Women’s Debate Institute. My goals as a student board representative are to represent WDI and what it stands for, to recruit future debaters, make the application pro- cess accessible and to spread awareness about institutional discrimination within society and the debate community so as to better combat it. - Alina Crouch (pictured third from left)

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This Fall, our community lost one of its with debate in college because Megan was amount of work to make debate safe and greatest leaders, Megan Gaffney. Megan my friend and because she was willing to fair for anyone who participated in it. was a beloved member of the WDI com- do whatever she could to make everyone Leading by example does not do justice to munity and we, like so many, are deeply around her feel safe, supported, and im- the many times she sat with me and other saddened by this news. While this year was portant. I met Megan seven years ago at members of the community to lend sup- her first at the WDI, Megan's kindness, port and advice and solidarity. the Whitman National Debate Institute sense of humor, love of debate, and com- and when we first met I knew that I had Standing up was the thing for which I ad- mitment to making the debate community mired Megan most; she stopped at nothing a safe and supportive one for women found a lifetime friend in the community. I am so to organize opposition to injustice, wheth- made her an amazing addition to the WDI er that be on her own team or in the com- blessed to family. She will be sorely missed. munity at large. Megan taught me to stand Megan competed in high school policy have had up for myself, and she did everything in debate for four years at San Dieguito her in my her power to make sure that discrimination Academy in Encinitas, California. She was life for had no place in the debate community. She a philosophy major at the University of seven stood by me and was my greatest support Oregon where she excelled in collegiate years. system when I went through a Title IX parliamentary debate and coached at Shel- investigation. I led my first debate camp Megan don High School. In 2013 she won the lab with Megan. She was several steps embodied Bellevue, University of Puget Sound, and ahead of the lab at all times and did her what our Whitman best to help the students in our lab learn communi- Withycombe and gain self-confidence on the deepest ty needs to Classic Tour- level possible. Our campers often made strive for. naments and bets with her that she could not find the Because of “she stopped at received sixth piece of they were struggling to Megan, I nothing to organize place at the find. Our campers lost every time and had have hope NPTE and meticulous flows as a result, as each card opposition to that our community can become a safe sixth speaker found resulted in a drill. She inspired each injustice, whether space for all. Debate is so much more than at the NPDA one of our campers to not only view de- just a win or a loss and that be on her own national tour- bate as an activity, but also as a giant com- team or in the naments. The Megan exemplified that. Megan used de- munal family that could improve if we all following is a bate as a way to educate those around her did our part to make it better. community at large” as to why social justice projects mattered tribute written Our community has lost one of its greatest and why the events we spoke about were by her dear leaders and best advocates for justice. I calls for the debaters in the room to be- friend Paige hope it is in her name that we all get in- come activists and change the world out- Joki: spired to do all we can to support each side the round. Megan always ended each I know I will never find the right words to other and make debate the space she knew round we had with a hug. Always! Her that it could be. Megan will forever be my do justice to the legacy of education and hugs were just one aspect of her unlimited best friend in the community and one of activism that Megan Gaffney created in the strength and the unrelenting support that the people I could not be more grateful to debate community. What I can say is this: I she was willing to lend. have faith in the debate community, pre- have known. It is because of her that I Megan cared so much for all of the people found my strength. cisely because Megan was in it. I continued in the community and did an enormous —Paige Joki, former Whitman College Debater

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Inside our Faculty: Brittany Williams

Several years ago at North Community High School in Minne- As a debater and coach, Britta- apolis, a Social Studies teacher repeatedly asked Brittany Wil- ny noticed it was difficult to liams to stay after school for a debate team meeting. Like retain female debaters. When most students, she didn't know what to the WDI invited her to join the expect and very hesitantly accepted the staff during her first WDI camp invitation. Two practices and one tour- in 2011, it seemed to be an or- nament later, she was hooked for life. “she has ganization that aligned perfectly discovered a Now a proud member of the WDI Board with her interests both as a fem- true passion of Directors, Brittany attends the Univer- inist, and as someone con- sity of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she for working cerned with keeping female is an undergraduate English major and an with young active member of the debate team. She students in an activity she loves. students in an has worked at the Minnesota Debate & Since then, she has discovered a environment Advocacy Workshop (MDAW) and the true passion for working with as intimate as 's 7 week young students in an environ- the WDI” camp. She coaches at South High ment as intimate as the WDI. School, where she hopes to grow their She plans to be with the organ- debate program. ization for a long time.

If you have any WDI news please contact Rae Lynn Schwartz-DuPre raelynn.schwartz- [email protected] Alumni Spotlight: Catalina Santos Catalina Santos attended the WDI in 2006 as a policy scholar. Today, Catalina is starting her second year at the University of Chicago Law School. Prior to law school, Catalina graduated from in 2012, where she was a mem- ber of the policy debate team for two years. During her time on the team Catalina led an effort to integrate paperless debating software and techniques. Having learned the benefits of paperless debate in high school, she was determined to make it an option for debaters on the Harvard policy team. Since her time on the team, Harvard policy debate has become entirely paperless. In her first year of college debate, Catalina was a quarter-finalist at the Cross-Examination Debate Association national championship. As a high school debater at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, an all-female school, Catalina was able to benefit from strong female mentorship. This experience is one of the reasons she was so happy to participate in the WDI. The skills she learned in debate have proven invaluable in all aspects of Catalina’s academic and professional career. Specifical- ly, the research skills she accrued through her years in debate allowed her to excel in research assistant positions for professors, devel- op her own data set based on empirical case studies for her college honors thesis, and work on writing exciting and original legal briefs. These skills have also enabled her to succeed in legal research while in law school and as a summer associate at Wachtell, Lip- ton, Rosen & Katz.

http://womensdebateinstitute.org/ Women’s Debate Institute

Women’s Debate Institute 3379 22nd Street The Women’s Debate Institute is a non-profit organization that San Francisco, CA 94110 unites a robust community dedicated to the education of young wom- E-mail: [email protected] en. Each summer we host a free debate institute for high school girls http://womensdebateinstitute.org/ from around the country. Our four day camp increases the number of girls involved in debate, creates an environment that fosters com- munity, and encourages young women to attend college.

Sisterhood is Vocal—Speak Out !

Join Us Next Summer —August 9-13, 2014