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2024 Stay Woke Speech and Debate Competition

By Diana Morose


Mark your calendars because the 2024 Stay WOKE Speech and Debate Competition will be held Nov. 4, the day before the big election day, in David Brinkley Studio in Garner Hall. The contest is back and better than ever!


Now you may have increasingly heard the term ‘woke’ thrown around more and more over the past few years, especially when it comes to politics. The term derived from African American Vernacular English and was used in reference to being aware of racial discrimination and prejudice.


The adjective has now been defined as being “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice),” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.


The contest, sponsored by The Buccaneer and the Department of Communication, began at Barry in 2018 – years before “woke” became the polarizing word it is today. This fall, the contest will center on seven issues related to social justice, which stem from the Barry University core commitment.


Here are the topics:


Topic #1- The resurgence of the 'TradWife' movement represents progress toward personal freedom for women.


Topic #2- Voter purging is a necessary process to maintain the integrity of elections in the United States.


Topic #3- The rise of femicide indicates that there are inadequate legal protections for women around the world.


Topic #4- Social media platforms should be held legally accountable for the rise in harmful disorders among children and teens.


Topic #5- Artificial intelligence tools should be banned in primary and secondary education.


Topic #6- The political rhetoric used in the 2023-2024 election cycle has significantly contributed to the rise of discrimination in the United States.


Topic #7- Financial literacy should be a required course at colleges and universities.


Auditions will be held from Oct. 7-11 in Garner Hall 164.


Here is the list of guidelines:


1) During auditions, present a 1–2-minute persuasive pitch of your topic including ONE oral citation.


2) Include The Buccaneer newspaper as ONE source for oral citation within BOTH your audition and final speech.


3) If selected, prepare a 5–7-minute speech along with a PowerPoint for the final round. An outline of your speech must be submitted to event organizers one week prior to the final round.


4) You will argue either FOR or AGAINST your predetermined topic.


5) Members of the Barry community will be able to ask questions after presentation of your final speech.


If you want to audition for the competition or RSVP, email The Buccaneer’s Web & Digital Editor at anna.babiy@mymail.barry.edu.


The topics chosen for the debate were inspired by stories featured in the current fall issue of The Buccaneer. Flip through a physical copy of the newspaper or visit TheBuc.org to brush up on the topics!

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