SVUDL Helped Me Deconstruct My Struggles

Debate began with a crushing defeat for Mandy Thach, a senior at Yerba Buena High School in San Jose. But that loss became the foundation for profound personal growth and a new vision for her future.

"During one of my first tournaments as a novice Policy Debater, I was the negative against a Kritik (a type of argument) that I was entirely unequipped to handle, barely even knowing what a Kritik was at the time," they recall. "I was totally shaken, spending my allotted half hour of speaking time in confused silence."

The experience was humbling, but it sparked something essential. "I wasn't too pleased after the round, but I was eager to know how to navigate the debate, what I could've said in response, and how much I'd be expected to know against such unfamiliarity. I'm sure I felt bitter then, but there's a fondness looking back on that loss knowing it enabled me to understand debate more intimately."

That tournament marked the beginning of a transformation that would reshape not just how Mandy competed, but how she saw herself.

"I entered my school's Speech and Debate Team as an awkward sophomore with little confidence in my speaking ability," they share. "As I began competing in SVUDL, I realized that debate would help me deconstruct my struggles through methodical practice rather than believing them to be intrinsic flaws of mine."

SVUDL provided more than just technical skills—it offered a new framework for approaching personal challenges. "The competition and practice I accessed pushed me to think of my qualms critically, and in a solution-oriented manner. This approach has alleviated my unease, helping me become a speaker with confidence and conviction."

SVUDL also redirected her career aspirations in unexpected ways.

"Prior to my experiences with SVUDL, I had wanted to pursue a career in law, though I didn't have a clear vision for the type of service I'd want to pursue as a lawyer," they explain. "I refined an affirmative policy-related plan that would be specific, actionable, and goal-oriented. Consequently, I became heavily interested with the content of my affirmative, which was based around mutual aid informed by my viewpoint as a Vietnamese-American. This level of involvement led me to take my interests outside of debate towards activist contributions to my community, and I've since refined my career aspirations to have a heavier emphasis on activism and social justice."

The skills developed through SVUDL have proven invaluable beyond the debate space. "My involvement with my community and the politics within it have called for navigation of high-pressure situations, where skills such as reasoning and argumentation would be imperative," she notes.

She has also learned to navigate skepticism about their voice and authority. "I find myself being doubted by members of my community due to my age or gender and dismissed as naive. The research and speaking abilities I've learned through debate, though perhaps not strong enough to rip through bias, have helped dislodge presumptions in my own, individual conversations."

What Mandy values most about SVUDL isn't just the competition—it's the community that has supported her growth every step of the way.

"The wisdom and support of SVUDL's community is incredibly precious to me. My team and coaches have not only uplifted me through their encouragement, but also by critiquing me and helping me resolve my struggles," they reflect. "Where I'd perform well, my team would always remind me of the value of an accomplishment, and where I'd have my shortcomings, they'd encourage me to improve and become a better version of myself."

This experience has deepened her understanding of why diverse voices matter in creating a better world.

"Diversity of voices is an agent by which people empathize and realize," she explains. "It's necessary that underrepresented voices have a presence and platform—their sentiments continue to be of value, regardless of the amount of discussion they attract. To produce an equitable world, it's necessary to hone that discussion and ensure it receives understanding and consideration."

From that first tournament spent in confused silence to becoming a confident advocate for her community, Mandy's journey with SVUDL demonstrates the transformative power of finding your voice—and learning how to use it.