COMMUNITY
EQUITY COMMITMENTS FOR 2022-2023 compiled by Dr. Paul Porter
O
ur commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion stems from a philosophy that all members of our organization deserve the opportunity to participate in competitive speech and debate in ways that align with our mission. This means that alongside the call to be stewards of our organization and embody our values, NSDA members deserve a caring and welcoming environment—one that fosters inclusion, affirms identity, celebrates lived experiences, and protects from harassment and discrimination. Our students deserve feedback in the spirit of culturally responsive pedagogy, while our coaches and judges deserve opportunities to grow both their programs and their craft. Since 2017, the NSDA’s annual equity commitments have outlined specific, immediate steps to reinforce diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organization. This year’s commitments highlight our areas of focus for DEI during the school year—including new objectives to expand our work. We’ve made great strides and take great pride in the work we’ve done, but we recognize the need to do more. Part of doing more means that we must identify new areas while also recognizing that our efforts toward previous commitments are not over. This year’s equity commitments will focus on infrastructure and climate. Both areas serve as the foundation for corresponding initiatives that seek to strengthen our organizational/tournament practices and deliver on the promise of creating transformative opportunities in service to our students, coaches, and judges. Recognizing that some projects
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ROSTRUM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022
will take longer than others, the commitments are triaged by short and long term. Thank you for supporting our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We hope you will continue to be partners in our efforts to make speech and debate a better activity!
INFRASTRUCTURE
+ The NSDA will work to
reinforce opportunities for meaningful engagement and voice of our students and coaches. The NSDA will develop student affinity groups designed to hear students’ perspectives on DEI and offer support. The NSDA will partner with Coaches’ Caucuses to build a stronger infrastructure intended to raise their profiles and expand their reach.
+ The NSDA will continue to
strive for an equitable and representative judging pool at the National Tournament. The NSDA will review its guidelines for determining diversity-enhancing judges and share data on their utilization at the National Tournament. The NSDA will continue to require National Tournament judges to receive certification in cultural competency.
+ The NSDA will develop a culture
of assessment to further measure the effectiveness of our DEI efforts. The NSDA will reinforce DEI as a central focus in the strategic plan. The NSDA will develop a tactical plan to inventory its DEI programs and resources as well as assess for needed areas of growth.
+ The NSDA will continue to
enhance its efforts to prevent harassment and discrimination at district and national tournaments. The NSDA will enhance its Belonging and Inclusion Station (formerly known as Equity Office) to further serve participants at NSDA-sponsored tournaments. The NSDA will develop strategic goals to implement Belonging and Inclusion Stations (BIS) at the district tournament level. Learn more on page 12