SVUDL Senior Program Specialist Kwodwo Moore Awarded Cal State East Bay 40 Under 40 Award!

SVUDL extends a hearty congratulations to Kwodwo Moore, Senior Program Specialist, on his award from Cal State East Bay and the Alumni Association as the recipient of the 40 Under 40 Award, Class of 2023.

​​The 40 Under 40 awards program identifies alumni aged 40 or younger who have demonstrated dedication, excellence, and development in their professional, philanthropic, and/or personal endeavors, with an eye to the significant contributions they have made to improving and uplifting their communities.

SVUDL applauds the recognition of this special award.  Kwodwo was a pioneer volunteer for the organization from the very beginning.  He recruited students, ran workshops, talked to future community partners about how impactful debate had been in his own life, and judged rounds at tournaments since 2014.

In 2017, he became a full time employee, coaching students directly and helping to build relationships with community partners in San Mateo and Santa Clara County high schools. He has been working extensively in East Palo Alto schools, helping teachers empower students to use their voices for advocacy, professional growth, and organizing through Speech and Debate.

But, that’s not all.  He’s encouraged students to host question and answer sessions with prospective Sequoia Union High School District school board members at EPAA, represented SVUDL as one of the first members of the Superior Court of San Mateo County’s Community Outreach Committee, and encouraged collaboration between Oxford Day Academy and East Palo Alto Academy with regards to making space within debate for Spanish speakers.

One of the most important examples of the many contributions of note is how Kwodwo has helped students to harness the power of their lived experiences to be respected and acknowledged as valid and valuable contributors to societal conversations.  

“I respect and acknowledge their lived experiences as valid and valuable to me, personally. I take them seriously when they say things, and I respond to them in ways that they understand. When I don’t agree with something that they say, I gently but directly state why I don’t agree with them and justify my perspective in the same way I would expect them to do so. I give them the respect that I want them to give to others, and themselves, before they are capable of doing so. I model the behavior and expectations I have for them,” reflected Kwodwo.

His role modeling of how to respectfully handle difficult societal conversations is powerful.  This is particularly poignant as this chapter in our country’s history continues to be volatile and emotional.  It is rare to find civil discourse happening in real life and online when parties disagree.

“I also make it clear to them that there are going to be people who will not see what they have to say as valid and valuable, and that they cannot waste their time trying to justify themselves to those who have no interest in hearing them out. Sometimes the most persuasive thing you can do is go and find someone who is willing to listen to you. Maybe they will be able to convince those who will not listen,” he added.

It is well known that debate is an elitist sport and there are tremendous issues related to access for many students. This is a microcosm and reflection of broader society, and until the inequities in broader society are addressed, debate will always be a space that reflects those inequities. Through the rigor and thrill of the academic sport of debate, SVUDL helps low-income youth tap the power of their voices to compete, excel, and change the world.

“Competitive debate is an elitist activity. It was created to be elitist, for elitists and it will continue to be elitist because the activity (like almost all activities) rewards those who can invest time, money, and willpower. This is how society operates as a whole, so we shouldn’t be surprised when the activities that our children participate in  reflect broader trends,” shared Kwodwo.

How does Kwodwo tackle this issue?  “I’m not interested in trying to change the debate community.  I want my students to understand how to survive and navigate through that community to the best of their abilities. I want them to understand how to take what they’ve learned there, and create new spaces for themselves and their communities that contain the best parts of what debate can offer so that those who would normally be unable to participate can benefit as well,” emphasized Kwodwo. “My students have to live in the world as it is, not as I want it to be. While I advocate for and support change, they need to know how to safely be authentic in spaces where they don’t feel comfortable.”

Kwodwo truly values how impactful and important it can be to teach a student how to be an effective speaker.  He recognizes that this is a lifelong gift to these students.

“The ability to speak persuasively is one of the few things no one can take away from you. In a world where everyone craves understanding and comprehension, when people have thoughts and feelings they don’t know how to fully convey, the ability to use language as a bridge between the world of your heart and mind and the outside world is powerful. Communication is one of the first things we learn how to do when we are born into this world, and when we learn it well we are bold and fearless. Somewhere during childhood, we learn that our voices maybe shouldn’t be shared as much as we thought. We learn to hide our inner thoughts, to censor ourselves in the moments when we ought to be exuberant and confident,” stated Kwodwo.

Kwodwo’s career pathway has helped so many students see the power of speaking.  “Our minds create wonderful things, and they are powerful tools that help us make sense of the world around us. If we aren’t effective speakers, we aren’t effective communicators. We aren’t effective listeners. We owe it to our loved ones, our families, our communities, our coworkers, and our fellow citizens to be good speakers. We have a duty to be willing and able to clearly and articulately share the gift of our mind with our children, so that they can take the next step forward,” said Kwodwo.

Kwodwo has said that people trust other people who can speak well.  He knows that competency and relatability are key factors. “Speaking is one of the few ways we have to understand what is going on in someone else's mind.  It's how we gauge each other and decide who we like and don't like. Being able to speak well is not the same as speaking eloquently and flawlessly. It is understanding how to appeal to your audience, how to make comments and jokes they will appreciate, how to recover from an awkward silence or mispronounced word, and how to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake. Even being able to admit or acknowledge that you were wrong about something plays a part in this, and those who know how to speak well understand how to express those thoughts and feelings to others,” said Kwodwo. “People trust those who are genuine, and speaking well affords you the privilege of being able to speak genuinely while simultaneously being cool, calm, and collected.”

He once said that students have ‘the moment’ which is when the pressure of the activity reaches a crescendo. They reach their breaking point, and the activity demands more of them than they were able to give.

“There is a moment in everyone's life, probably multiple moments, when something is abundantly clear and they have to make a choice. They will either continue on down the path they were taking, or they’ll take another route. Speech and Debate is no exception,” said Kwodwo.

He describes what this inflection point in time feels like. “This activity is nerve wracking and scary. There is always a moment, whether it happens before I meet them or after, where a student realizes that they just have no idea what to say and that realization turns into anxiety and stress. Everyone reacts differently to this situation. I’ve watched students literally shed tears and shake, completely terrified of the experience. Others have stood boldly and kept going, saying things that they weren’t quite sure of until they reached a point where what they were saying made no sense and they knew it… before becoming absolutely quiet,” described Kwodwo.

Kwodwo has witnessed so many of these moments play out.  No two are alike.  “There’s no way to predict what they’re going to do next. I’ve seen students who broke down completely, in tears and with their face betraying a feeling of absolute terror, decide that they were going to do it again and again. Some of the bravest and most stalwart students, who managed to fake it until they made it before going silent, have quietly come and told me that Speech and Debate isn’t for them. Others have said nothing, slowly drifting away,” continued Kwodwo.

“The moment comes when the student decides they’re going to keep going, and keep trying. When they decide that the goal they’re pursuing is more important than the negative feelings they're experiencing, that’s a powerful decision,” emphasized Kwodwo.

Kwodwo came to SVUDL knowing this was his place and his purpose. Because of the work he’s doing, his commitment to enacting change in the world is even stronger.

He comes to this place with such passion.  “I have always struggled with understanding my place in the world, and the work I do with my students helps me feel at peace with myself. I want those who come after me to be more assertive, more compassionate, more intuitive, more thoughtful, more curious, more intuitive, and more committed than I am. The mark I leave behind is going to be in the hearts and minds of the children I work with, and that’s how I plan on changing the world. If you want to change the world, you have to figure out how to change someone else… and get them to want to change others. I think I can do that here,” urged Kwodwo.

Kwodwo, your passion for SVUDL’s mission is palpable and inspiring. We celebrate you and this award and look forward to what the future will bring next.