Urban Debate Alumnus: Tracy Carson

When and where did you participate in urban debate?
I debated for three years in the Chicago Urban Debate League, from 1997-2000. I attended Morgan Park High School. My senior year I won the Chicago Debate Championship and was Top Speaker there.

When did you graduate?
I graduated from Morgan Park in 2000 and from Northwestern University in 2004. At Northwestern I debated for two years, on scholarship. The highlights of my intercollegiate debating career were qualifying for the NDT and winning the Capitol City Classic Tournament at Catholic University in 2003.

What are you doing now?
I just received a Doctorate in history at Oxford University on a Marshall Scholarship. My research there explored political movements in South Africa during the 1980s, focusing especially on trade union strikes and community boycotts. Currently, I'm beginning a one-year Fulbright grant to conduct additional research in Cape Town, South Africa.

How did participating in urban debate prepare you for your activities and accomplishments after you graduated?
Urban debate forced me to think critically about a variety of contemporary historical and political issues, providing me with a solid foundation for graduate-level research. As a 14 year old high school student, I remember debating topics that ranged from national renewable energy policies to the United State's foreign policy towards Russia. I found that other high school students were comparatively unable to speak as confidently and knowledgeably on so many issues. The activity's focus on public speaking and analytical skill development primed me to articulate complex ideas succinctly in front of others; while its need for a strong work ethic, as a prerequisite to competitive success, made me a better student in general. These skills have been vital to my effectiveness as a Doctoral student.

In general, debate students are trained to think swiftly, methodically, and deeply about complex issues. Those who are intensely committed to the activity usually develop a strong work ethic as well as refined leadership skills. During my time as a debater, I remember being drawn to other committed debaters. We ultimately found ourselves coalescing around our love for debate to form a community of politically and civically engaged students. After ten years, I am still close to many of my debate friends, and we still challenge each other to think critically and thoughtfully about the world around us.

How do you think your life would be different today if urban debate did not exist when you were in high school?
I would not have excelled as a graduate student at Oxford without the Chicago Urban Debate League. My participation in high school debate introduced me to college debaters and coaches from Northwestern University, who encouraged me to apply to the University and join its debate team. This enabled me to enter college with a group of mentors to support me both inside debate and in other realms of college life.

What would you say to a school district considering establishing an Urban Debate League, or to a private foundation or individual considering supporting an Urban Debate League?
Do it! I have been involved in UDLs for 10 years, as both a participant and instructor, and recall saying, and now hearing current debaters say, "I learned more in debate than I did in thirteen years of school!" I still believe it's true. I have experienced many of the problems students often face inside public schools. As an eighth grade student in an urban public school, I can recall being taught English by math instructors; having overcrowded classrooms of 50 students; and being taught straight from test prep books, without exposure to the sublime feeling that one often experiences through critical thinking. However, as a ninth grade student, debate helped me to fill this intellectual void, and supplemented many of the skills I failed to obtain in the classroom. I remember spending evenings in our debate "squad room" until 10pm, brainstorming arguments and discussing politics with my teammates. After our first year in the activity, we were completely addicted, and most of us were doing better in classes. We often talked of the "academic advantage" we had over other students. Papers became easier to write because we knew how to make cogent, multi-layered arguments; and reading more engaging because we were able to scrutinize texts with a renewed sense of intellectual curiosity. In hindsight, I realize that my experience in urban debate was vital to my academic, intellectual, and even social development. I would very emphatically encourage a school, foundation, or civic leader to support UDLs.