Stuart Foundation Invests in Urban Debate in Los Angeles and the Bay Area
The Stuart Foundation recently approved a grant submitted by the
NAUDL to support Urban Debate League founding work in both Los Angeles
and the San Francisco Bay areas.
The Stuart Foundation is a California-based Foundation dedicated to
ensuring that “opportunities and possibilities remain open and
available to all young men and women who have high ideals and are
willing to make sacrifices for their attainment.” The
grant will support the NAUDL’s efforts to, among other things,
engage supporters in each area through a reception, convene stakeholders
and nonprofit practitioners to solicit their input, advocate to build
school system investment, create a deliberate and thoughtful implementation
strategy, and raise awareness about urban debate.
Rhonnel Sotelo, the Stuart Foundation’s Senior Program Officer
for Youth & Communities, explains the fit between the Foundation’s
priorities and the NAUDL: “The Stuart Foundation is pleased
to support the NAUDL in its work in the San Francisco Bay Area and
metropolitan Los Angeles to help young people become productive, responsible,
and inspired citizens. We strive to find exemplary, catalytic
opportunities like the NAUDL in our efforts to positively impact all
dimensions of a young person’s development. The organization’s
deep commitment to supporting students express their voice and participate
in policy debate aligns well with our efforts to advance youth aspirations
to become successful, self-sustaining, and civically engaged members
of society.”
Lenny Gail, NAUDL Board Chairman, says, “We at the NAUDL are
grateful for the Stuart Foundation’s early stage investment
in our efforts to start UDLs in these two localities. The Stuart
Foundation’s professionalism and ability to offer substantive
counsel regarding our efforts to secure school system and other partnerships
for these Leagues makes their vote of confidence all the more significant.”
The NAUDL’s League building work, which brings together an active
community of stakeholders devoted to improving the education of their
communities’ youth, is already underway in both areas.
The end goal in each is the same: The formation of a UDL that
secures school system investment, activates committed civic and business
leadership, and earns broad community recognition for moving the needle
on academic achievement, success at college, and leadership development.
Several small events this summer have helped set the stage for early
success. In Los Angeles, a lunch hosted by Henry Weissmann,
Bart Williams, and Sandra Seville-Jones of and at Munger, Tolles &
Olson LLP, kicked off the LA UDL planning efforts. In San Francisco,
Darin Snyder hosted a lunch at O’Melveny & Meyers LLP.
And, NAUDL Board Member and CEO of ReadySolar, Meredith McClintock,
hosted a working dinner in downtown Palo Alto.
Receptions in each area this fall will introduce the idea of and plans
for urban debate to a broader audience:
• In Los Angeles, Lance Rosenzweig, CEO and founder of PeopleSupport
(NASDAQ: PSPT), has agreed to host at his Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills
home. Please reserve Sunday late afternoon/evening, October
28 for this event.
• In the Bay Area, Darin Snyder, the Managing Partner of O’Melveny
& Meyers LLP in San Francisco, has agreed to host at his Marin
County home. Please reserve the late afternoon/early evening
of Sunday, December 2.
Please contact hollyreiss@urbandebate.org
for more information about these events and how you can help!
