Umoja Debate Team

UMOJA DEBATE LEAGUE FOUNDED IN 2021 BY 23-YEAR-OLD DETROIT NATIVE JERJUAN HOWARD WAS ESTABLISHED TO ADDRESS A GAP IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH DISGUISED LEARNING UMOJAS PROGRAMS AIM TO PROVIDE YOUTH WITH A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPING TRANSFERABLE LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS CRITICAL THINKING COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP SINCE ITS INCEPTION UMOJA HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED OVER 400 FAMILIES IN DETROIT WITH A FOCUS ON YOUTH WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING ENTIRE COMMUNITIES UMOJA DEBATE LEAGUE OPERATES THREE CORE PROGRAMS ALL OF WHICH ARE FREE TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION AFTER-SCHOOL DEBATE PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY DISTRICT DPSCD UMOJA OFFERS AN AFTER-SCHOOL DEBATE PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS CURRENTLY THE PROGRAM IS ACTIVE IN FOUR DPSCD MIDDLE SCHOOLS JOHN R KING ACADEMIC AND PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY PAUL ROBESON MALCOLM X ACADEMY MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE ELEMENTARY-MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CATHERINE C BLACKWELL INSTITUTE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN WEEKLY DEBATE PRACTICES HONING THEIR SKILLS IN RESEARCH PUBLIC SPEAKING AND CRITICAL THINKING WHILE COMPETING AGAINST OTHER DPSCD SCHOOLS DEBATE SUMMER CAMP IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY SCHOOL OF LAW UMOJA OFFERS AN 8-WEEK SUMMER DEBATE CAMP FOR STUDENTS AGES 11-14 HELD THREE TIMES A WEEK MONDAY WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN INTENSIVE TRAINING FOCUSED ON RESEARCHING TOPICS DELIVERING SPEECHES GAINING REBUTTAL EXPERIENCE AND COMPETING AGAINST PEERS THE CAMP INCLUDES FIELD TRIPS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN WHERE STUDENTS LEARN PROPER RESEARCH TECHNIQUES FROM LIBRARIANS AND PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES UMOJA VILLAGE IN 2022 UMOJA PURCHASED THREE LOTS AND DEVELOPED UMOJA VILLAGE A COMMUNITY SPACE DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING LOCAL NEEDS SUCH AS NUTRITION DESERTS LACK OF PROGRAMMING AND INSUFFICIENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE UMOJA VILLAGE FEATURES A COMMUNITY GARDEN ART INSTALLATIONS A FREE LITTLE LIBRARY AND A STAGE FOR COMMUNITY GATHERINGS IT SERVES AS A HUB FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROVIDING FREE FOOD YOGA CLASSES GARDENING LESSONS AND SPEECH AND DEBATE SHOWCASES ADDITIONALLY UMOJA VILLAGE HOSTS VARIOUS COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING FALL FEST EARTH DAY CLEANUP PEACE ON PURITAN AND THE STATE OF OUR YOUTH PRESS CONFERENCE THESE EVENTS FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY ENCOURAGE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT AND PROVIDE VITAL RESOURCES TO UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS UMOJA DEBATE LEAGUE EMPOWERS YOUTH TO BECOME TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS WHILE STRENGTHENING THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY ENSURING THAT ALL DETROIT YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUCCEED