Opening New Worlds…From Debate to Dreaming Bigger
At the NYCUDL, opening worlds means showing students what their lives could look like — not just what they’ve known. One of the most powerful ways we do that is through the NYCUDL/Wake Forest Dream Team, a partnership designed to give promising debaters the chance to learn from NYCUDL staff and members of Wake Forest University’s debate team, and to compete on the national circuit.
When Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson reflected on her own path, she spoke to the exact experience we hope to create.
“My high school debate coach…took me to Harvard — the first I’d ever really thought of it…She believed in me, and in turn, I believed in myself.”
That belief is exactly why we created the Dream Team. When our students travel beyond their neighborhoods and compete on national stages, they begin to imagine themselves in new roles, new worlds, and new futures.
This fall, the Dream Team proved what’s possible. At two tournaments at Yale University, our students gained invaluable experience competing at the highest level in a field of national competitors. And back home in the Bronx, they delivered an extraordinary performance, with several debaters going undefeated and the team earning top awards. Their success is a powerful reminder of what happens when students are given the chance to step into bigger worlds — with no ceilings on what they can achieve.
Help us continue Opening New Worlds — for these students and thousands more across New York City. Your gift today supports programs like the Dream Team and brings us closer to our end-of-year goal.
Ways to give:
- Opening New Worlds campaign
- Facebook Fundraiser
- Paypal: NYCUDL@gmail.com
- Venmo: @NYCUDL