Shirley Chisholm Async

Table of Contents

Tournament Overview

Invite

Dear Forensics Coach,

We are delighted to invite you to the Shirley Chisholm Async, a speech and debate tournament that will take place from Monday, February 17th, 2025, to Sunday, February 23rd, 2025. This asynchronous event offers a flexible and accessible platform for participants to showcase their talents and engage in meaningful discourse, all while honoring the legacy of a trailblazing figure in American history. Click HERE to get to our website for more information.

Shirley Chisholm, born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York, was a pioneering politician and activist who made history as the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress in 1968. Representing New York's 12th congressional district, she served with distinction from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, she broke new ground by becoming the first Black candidate for a major-party nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Throughout her career, Chisholm was known for her unwavering commitment to economic, social, and political justice, as well as her advocacy for civil rights and women's rights

To participate in this tournament, we kindly ask that all registrations be completed by Thursday, February 20th, 2025. This deadline will allow us to organize the event efficiently and ensure that every competitor has the opportunity to shine. We understand the effort and dedication that goes into preparing for a speech and debate tournament, and we are committed to providing a supportive and enriching environment for all participants.

Thank you for your commitment to the art of speech and debate. We are excited to see the incredible performances that will undoubtedly make this tournament a highlight of the year.

~

Lighthouse Forensics Founders

Cole Harrison, Paris Wilson, Trey Baker

Format

Rounds will all be asynchronous judged via YouTube links. There will be four preliminary rounds with appropriate elimination rounds held. Reference the Operating Manual to see break levels for elimination rounds. A schedule can be found on Tabroom.

Events and Entries

Events

If there is an event that isn’t offered that you would like to see offered, please email the Tournament Director. 

Entries

There must be at least four entries in any Interpretation Individual Event for Interpretation IEs to be held.

There must be at least four entries in any Public Address Individual Event for Public Address IEs to be held.

A contestant is NOT limited in the amount of events entered.

All entry fees are $5. To pay fees on Venmo or PayPal, send them to @treybaker522 and then send the receipt by email to the tournament director. If those payment methods don’t work for you, please reach out and something can be arranged. It costs $20 to drop an entry after the deadline. 

All entries must be registered on Tabroom, fill out the Entry Form, and have fines paid before they will be allowed off the wait list. 

Judging

One judge is required for every five Speech entries or fraction thereof.

Judges are required to stay one round beyond their school’s elimination from the tournament. There are judges for hire. Judges may also register themselves for hire here on Tabroom.