"In my first year of speech, I had this ADS about being from Africa. It crashed out at NFA. I cried. I went into the bathroom that night and slapped myself. And until last year, every time I crashed out of a speech tournament, I slapped myself because I could feel myself slink further into oblivion. I hated losing not because of the feeling of loss itself. But the almost entire invisibility that came with losing was frustrating while being a part of the community."
We try our best to be accommodating to all. And we have done a rather great job at that. Organically, however, this community has created an elitism of sorts that places students and schools who are relatively less successful on the periphery of the activity. They're there to amplify the thunderous singular claps at award ceremonies, to justify calling tournaments 'national', and to increase the size of the 'community'. For many, it feels like when you don't win, you aren't seen. If you don't feel that it's so, it's understandable. It's not immediately evident because many are silent about it. It's the nature of such injustices. We know this. This place isn't blaming anyone. No one person is responsible. We have collectively contributed to this culture. So we can at least try to change it. This page will serve as a repository of stories and expositions about the nature of being of the margin of our community. The hope is that it serves as a mirror for us to reflect and fix up where necessary.
Feel free to comment, share, and send in your stories (anonymously, if you wish).
We try our best to be accommodating to all. And we have done a rather great job at that. Organically, however, this community has created an elitism of sorts that places students and schools who are relatively less successful on the periphery of the activity. They're there to amplify the thunderous singular claps at award ceremonies, to justify calling tournaments 'national', and to increase the size of the 'community'. For many, it feels like when you don't win, you aren't seen. If you don't feel that it's so, it's understandable. It's not immediately evident because many are silent about it. It's the nature of such injustices. We know this. This place isn't blaming anyone. No one person is responsible. We have collectively contributed to this culture. So we can at least try to change it. This page will serve as a repository of stories and expositions about the nature of being of the margin of our community. The hope is that it serves as a mirror for us to reflect and fix up where necessary.
Feel free to comment, share, and send in your stories (anonymously, if you wish).
LOVE THIS!! GOOD JOB SAEED hope you are doing well after graduation. Watching your ADS in 2022!
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