About Us

Hey! My name is Joshua Eneji and I am a founder of the directory guide, A Seat to the Table. Like most students, my first season of Speech and Debate was riddled with writing my speeches from scratch, drafting ideas, and a whirlwind of new adventures. The result: an oratory that carried me from TFA State, to the NIETOC tournament, and eventually to Phoenix, Arizona for the 2023 Speech and Debate National Tournament. The day before the national tournament's beginning, our coach took us 4 qualifying students on a hike as we reminisced about our memories in Speech and Debate. We looked out at the scenery filled with cacti, sunny haze, and blue skies, and that's when I knew: Everyone deserves a moment like this in the program. A moment where we say to ourselves "The hard work finally payed off." We often loose ourselves in cultivating a competitive atmosphere that we forget about giving each other an equal playing field.

After working with alumni in Speech and Debate and organizations aiming for accessibility within the program, I hope to finally bring a chair to every hardworking and willing participant. This project is only a step in the greater scheme of equality in Speech and Debate. As my coach puts it best: "Collaboration happens at the top."

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A special thank you to the alumni, organizers, and community members who made this guide possible. I hope to emulate a fraction of your dedication and passion towards making speech and debate a better place.

A special thank you to my coach, who introduced me to the world of dressing up on weekends to speak in high-school classrooms with exhausted parents judges, and encouraged me more than she'll ever know.

And a very special thank you to Garland High School Speech and Debate, which gave me a community of friends I can depend on for anything.