01/28/2026
From California to Minnesota, speech and debate connects us across distance and difference. Ours is a community grounded in voice, in advocacy, and in showing up for one another. When federal enforcement in the Twin Cities is directly impacting schools, heightening fear in communities, and disrupting students’ sense of safety and belonging, speech and debate stands for more than argument: it stands for compassion and care.
The Minnesota Urban Debate League is inviting messages of support for their students who are navigating this fear and uncertainty right now. Their initiative is an opportunity for our California speech and debate family to show up with encouragement and solidarity. Please join us in sending a message through this link: http://tinyurl.com/chssa2mn
We believe that all students deserve to feel safe in their schools and in their speech and debate spaces. We believe classrooms should be places of courage, not fear. We believe young voices deserve to grow in environments rooted in dignity, care, and belonging.
Today, we send Minnesota’s students and coaches our love, our support, and the reminder that they are not alone.
During this difficult time for our students, we hope you will share a message of support: https://bit.ly/UpliftMNUDL
All students have been impacted by federal immigration actions across the Twin Cities metro, with our most vulnerable kids hurting the most.
Schools have been temporarily closed, students have been afraid to attend school, and families are stressed.
Your brief message of support and encouragement means a lot. We want to show our students that there is a community of past and present debaters wishing them well.
If you are a Spanish speaker, and want to share your message in Spanish, we will share with our Spanish debate students.
All messages of support are welcome.
To our debaters:
YOUR VOICE MATTERS.
Even from home.
Especially from home.
We see you. We're proud of you.
