April 16, 2024 (newsweek.com) – In Evanston, Illinois, this past weekend, high school policy debate teams from across the country gathered for the Urban Debate National Championship (UDNC) hosted by The National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL).
The national tournament is the capstone of the season for NAUDL’s 22 debate leagues—a season that may include both local and national circuit competitions. In total, 37 teams from 19 leagues gathered on Northwestern’s campus for the three-day tournament, which ran from Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 14.
Students spend the entire year debating the same topic. With each event happening throughout the calendar, teams build and refine their arguments in preparation for nationals. This year’s resolution, or statement up for debate, was: “The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a basic income.”
For the 74 debaters at the UDNC, the tournament is about more than winning. “With NAUDL, you’re more in a community of other UDLs and it’s more fun to get to actually connect with those people,” St. Paul Central’s [Minnesota league] Kiernan Baxter-Kauf said. “There [are] fun little activities and competitions, it just makes it a better experience.”