Statement on Racial and Other Forms of Injustice

The multi-racial roster of NYU CEDA stands in solidarity with those battling systemic racism from the centuries of violence, exploitation and inequities levied against Black bodies to the hateful attacks on trans, AAPI and Muslim communities as a climate of intolerance expands daily.  We affirm NYU’s statement of solidarity but it’s not a substitute for concrete action.  The triple threat of COVID-19, economic downturn and police brutality will continue to weigh heavily on communities of color each and everyday until we confront antiquated systems of power embedded in our laws and our norms.   

Unlike the majority of society, team members spend our weekends exploring questions of public policy action on domestic and international issues intermeshed with social, economic and racial injustice using in-depth, well-researched evidence from scholars, journalists and advocates from all sides. Debaters and coaches shoud use our agency to hold ourselves and others accountable and help introduce vocabulary to have hard conversations about social injustice that echo demands of the voiceless for a different America. 

The distinction between demonizing and differencemakers is sometimes quite small.  We are destined to make mistakes along the way.  That’s not a reason to hide.  It’s a call to listen, illuminate and learn. 

Non-black allies remain transfixed by the recurring stories of Tyre Nichols, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tanisha Anderson,  Ronald Greene, Trayvon Martin, Kendra James, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Atatiana Jefferson, Walter Scott,  Philando Castile, Sean Bell, Tony McDade, Michael Brown, Charleena Lyles,  Robert Fuller, Tamir Rice and so many others whose lives were brutally cut short, they will need storytellers. 

We encourage all NYU teams, departments and organizations, as well as debate programs at other institutions, to devote some of their digital real estate prominently to the protection of Black Lives and resistance to injustices. Every small step improves our chances to be heard and create change.

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NYUCEDA Racks Up Awards & Community Service Hours!

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