COMMUNITY
NSDA EQUITY COMMITMENTS
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. NSDA members deserve a caring and welcoming environment— one that is committed to conditions of fairness, fosters inclusion, affirms identity, celebrates lived experiences, and protects from harassment and discrimination. We all have the responsibility to be good stewards of the activity. Our students deserve culturally competent critiques that are helpful and encouraging. Our coaches and judges deserve opportunities to grow both their programs and their craft. Every member deserves to be heard. Since 2017, the NSDA’s annual equity commitments have outlined steps to reinforce and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organization. Last year, we presented new areas of focus while also continuing our work on previous commitments. This approach continues in 2023-2024 (next page).
compiled by Dr. Paul Porter
2022-2023: YEAR IN REVIEW In response to last year’s equity commitments, we… Implemented the Belonging and Inclusion Station at 68 district tournaments, the NSDA Springboard Series, the Last-Chance Qualifier, and the National Speech & Debate Tournament. Created the Judge Pool Diversity Initiative to incentivize judges who enhance the representational diversity of the National Tournament judge pool. Over $50,000 was allotted to support the inclusion of 28 additional judges. Awarded $5,000 to the inaugural Activating Equity Award winner. Introduced the Faces in the Crowd segment in Rostrum. Created videos in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Celebrate Diversity Month. Introduced Food for Thought, a professional development series for NSDA staff. Drafted a mission statement for the coaches’ caucuses and held bi-annual meetings with caucus leaders. Published data on elimination round judge diversity in the April/ May 2023 issue of Rostrum. Provided approximately $14,000 to speech and debate programs through Keith West Memorial Fund awards and more than $100,000 through the Tate Fund in 2022-2023. Continued to require that National Tournament judges receive certification in cultural competency. Hired a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Intern for the National Tournament. Introduced the Multicultural Learning Alliance. Introduced the NSDA Student Alliance. Began work on a year-long initiative to inventory and assess the NSDA’s DEI resources and draft a DEI plan with an anticipated completion date of August 2024. Dr. Paul Porter is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the NSDA.
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ROSTRUM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023