Home / Advocacy and Recognition
We had the privilege of advocating to President Bill Clinton and Rep. Dave Min, highlighting the urgent need to support student civic engagement and strengthen democratic participation.
This video captures the moment DDK successfully passed a resolution with the Orange County Board of Education. The passage of this resolution will promote speech and debate access throughout the county, directly impacting more than 450,000 students!
We received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from Rep. Young Kim in honor of our work with Debate Discovery Kids. Together, we also founded the Young Kim Youth Advisory Council, serving over 755,000 constituents with policy and service initiatives.
We received official endorsement of DDK from Mayor Larry Agran, who recognized our efforts to promote student leadership, critical thinking, and civil discourse across Orange County.
In this video, we spoke before the Irvine Unified School District Board to push for more equitable access to speech and debate programs. Our message helped spark new conversations about student empowerment and enrichment across the district.
We addressed the Mayor and the Irvine City Council to advocate for increased awareness and funding for speech and debate. This moment marked a powerful step toward embedding youth voice and civic education in local priorities.
After receiving a $5,000 grant from the Dragon Kim Foundation, the fellowship culminated in a pitch event. We shared our vision for expanding speech and debate to underserved communities and emphasized the transformative power of public speaking to secure support from community leaders and investors.
Presented by Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber, this honor recognizes our founder’s work through DDK to promote racial understanding, foster inclusive dialogue, and expand access to debate education for students of all backgrounds.
Congresswoman Young Kim recognized our work in expanding civic education and empowering students across diverse communities with the tools to lead, advocate, and speak up.
This recognition from Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris celebrates our commitment to promoting civic engagement, public service, and communication skills among youth.
DDK was selected for national recognition by the Bill of Rights Institute for advancing constitutional values and student-led civic action, earning a $1,500 grant to continue our mission.
This grant supported our innovative approach to civic learning, awarded to help us scale programs that engage students in democracy through dialogue, critical thinking, and leadership.
Our project received funding through this national initiative for its measurable contribution to civic awareness and youth-driven change, especially in underserved areas.
This honor was awarded to our founder, Suraj, for advancing DDK’s mission with a commitment to justice, equity, and youth empowerment, embodying the values of scholar-activism that Paul Robeson stood for.
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