The Power of Debate
Some might argue this notion, but I’m not a debater, however I was invited to join the board of the NYC Urban Debate League about a year ago and it has truly opened my eyes to how debate empowers kids and young adults to pursue happy and successful lives.?As a corporate executive, I truly understand how strong communication skills are critical to success and matter of a fact it is a differentiator among professionals.?I often say to the teams I work with, all things equal, how you communicate and tell the story is what sets you apart and in many ways this debate league and others like it around the country help to curate these skills.
Even more meaningful and a big reason why I was drawn to the NYCUDL is because it’s helping kids who might not otherwise learn these skills, building their confidence and inspiring them to see an alternate version of their future.?They get to meet new people, learn about subjects that aren’t taught in schools and display talents they didn’t know existed.?As a person who needed many helping hands to get to where I am today, I know firsthand how meaningful this experience is.
This year is the 10th anniversary for the NYC Urban Debate League and on June 9th is our inaugural gala and I hope you will consider donating to the league.?As a non-profit and one of the largest debate leagues in the country, we are always working to raise funds to support the program and like most non-profits, we run on a shoestring budget.?You can donate to support the gala by buying tables, seats, ads, or donate to the general fund by going to this link https://debate.nyc/gala/
Thanks in advance for your generosity and support of this amazing organization.
Les Matthews
Executive Director at New York City Urban Debate League
2 年We are so lucky to have you on our Board! In just a year you have helped propel us forward in such important ways. I’m so grateful to partner with you to help bring the superpower of debate to all our students! Looking forward to all we can accomplish together for our students as we begin a new decade of debate!
Corporate Engagement at Emergent
2 年Les, I imagine you’ve seen it, but the latest Humans of New York set of stories is about debate and the impact of one teacher on one young man in particular but also hundreds of other students. I think you’d enjoy it.