Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Listening To The Question: Is Forensics Accessible And Accountable To Minority And Disenfranchised Communities?, Nathan Carter

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This brief presentation asserts that the leaders and tournament directors of the forensics community must do better! Based on the data collected, the answer to the title question is a resounding NO! This guide which touches on the state of accessibility and accountability in the activity is based on countless interviews with students of color and students from the LGBTQ community who experienced insults, discrimination and purposeful silencing. As a mixed-race man, I've also experienced these things throughout my tenure in the forensics community as a competitor, coach and DOF. My perspective on this matter is deeply personal but I …