Fox Rothschild - Champions of Diversity Challenge

The BAUDL Champions of Diversity Challenge engages the Bay Area legal community to raise funds to support a crucial intervention in the legal pipeline: a debate program that trains hundreds of diverse youth to research, prepare briefs, and advocate complex policy issues. Participating in debate gives students the skills they need to gain admittance into college and succeed in the professional world. In addition, it provides a gateway to previously foreclosed areas of professional and civic life - including most prominently, the field of law. Approximately 40% of debaters are interested in entering the legal field. This is your chance to directly impact the local pipeline to the legal profession.

 

The 2015 Champions of Diversity Challenge raised over $125,000. With 16 firms competing this year, we have the potential to make an even larger impact for Bay Area youth! By contributing to urban debate as a pipeline initiation, you will join a national community of support. Erwin Chemerinsky, Laurence Tribe, and Elena Kagan joined 40 law school deans and professors from top schools in signing a Statement of Support endorsing the strong connection between urban debate and diversity in the legal profession.

 

Who Is BAUDL?

The Bay Area Urban Debate League (BAUDL) is a nonprofit organization that uses the excitement of competitive academic debate to help young people build strong voices to succeed in high school, college, and the world.

BAUDL is part of a nationwide movement that is bringing the smart sport of debate back to under-resourced public high schools. Our community is 75% low-income and 90% young people of color. BAUDL levels the playing field, ensuring that urban youth have access to the same rigorous and engaging competition as their suburban peers. Through debate, students become articulate and informed leaders in their schools and communities.

 

What Does BAUDL Do?

BAUDL helps young people in the Bay Area find their voices and realize their potential through debate. All of BAUDL's programs are provided completely free of charge, allowing low-income students to compete alongside students from more privileged backgrounds.

- High School Debate Teams
- Tournaments and Workshops
- Nationally Competitive Travel Team
- Middle School League
- BAUDL Summer Debate Institute
- National Summer Institute Scholarships
- Teacher Coach Professional Development
- Public Debates and Community Engagement Events

 

Benefits of Urban Debate:

- Literacy scores improve by 25% per year
- Grade point averages raise 8-10%
- High school graduation rate near 100%
- College matriculation rates of 88%
- Debate gives young people direct experience in policy design, advocacy, and deliberation
- 99% of debaters say they understand the world better as a result of their time with BAUDL
- 98% say that because of BAUDL, they are more confident in making their voices heard