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Matt Entenza to Receive Champion Award at 2025 Mayors Challenge

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Minnesota Urban Debate League logo13th Annual Minnesota Urban Debate League Event Highlights Arctic Policy

Former Minnesota state representative Matt Entenza has been named the 2025 Champion of Change by the Minnesota Urban Debate League. He will receive the award at Quincy Hall in northeast Minneapolis on September 17, 2025, as part of MNUDL’s 13th annual policy debate showcase. 

The 2025 Mayors Challenge: The Great Arctic Debate will explore issues related to Arctic exploration and development in front of an audience of state and local leaders, including Governor Tim Walz and First Lady Gwen Walz. This year’s student debaters are Eleanor Nervig (Roosevelt High School) and Sir Nakhai Guy-Cornelius (Open World Learning Community), arguing the affirmative, and Ayan Ahmed (Edison High School) and Charlotte Washington (Central High School), arguing the negative. 

MNUDL gives out the Champion of Change award annually to a changemaker who models courageous leadership in Minnesota and beyond. Entenza’s experiences with policy debate at Augustana University and Macalester College ultimately led him to a career in public service and the law. With law degrees from Oxford University and the University of Minnesota, he has worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota, an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney, and an attorney in private practice specializing in nonprofit organizations. 

As a six-term legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives (1995–2007), Entenza served as House Democratic Leader for four years and was recognized for his focus on consumer and family protections. His legislative accomplishments have been honored by organizations including Children’s Defense Fund, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, the Minnesota Farmers Union, the National Child Support Enforcement Association, the League of Conservation Voters, the Minnesota Nurses Association, the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, the National Coalition to End Child Hunger, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. After leaving the legislature, Entenza created Minnesota 2020, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering discussion and debate in education, health care, transportation and economic development. He has also worked as an international election monitor in Africa and Europe and served on the boards of the Hazelden Foundation, Macalester College, and Augsburg University, where he is a past board chair. Entenza’s belief in the transformative power of debate led to his founding support of MNUDL, for which he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 from the National Speech and Debate Association. 

“As a former debater, I strongly believe in the power of debate on people’s lives,” said Entenza. “I would not have been able to go to college if not for debate. You gain such amazing insights when you meet other students from around the state and learn about their interests. That’s created a lifelong peer group for me.” 

Since 2012, the Mayors Challenge event has brought together education advocates from across the Twin Cities to watch an empowering, informative showcase debate and invest in the future of urban debate. Debate has been shown to positively impact literacy, self-esteem, critical thinking, attendance, and test scores. Students who participate in debate develop the capacity to engage in civil disagreement and civil discourse, skills that are essential for citizenship in a multicultural democracy.

Learn more or reserve tickets for the 2025 Mayors Challenge. 

About MNUDL

The Minnesota Urban Debate League is a program of Augsburg University that provides resources and programming to support competitive academic debate in Twin Cities high schools and middle schools. The mission of MNUDL is to empower students through competitive academic debate to become engaged learners, critical thinkers, and active global citizens who are effective advocates for themselves and their communities. Currently, MNUDL serves more than 1,850 students at 60+ partner schools and has seen sustained growth in student participation since its inception in 2004, in programs including MSHSL debate, middle school debate, Spanish Debate, East African Policy Debate, Financial Literacy Debates, and Summer Speech & Debate Camp at Augsburg.

Newsweek Profiles Minnesota Urban Debate League

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Red Newsweek logoNewsweek covered the Minnesota Urban Debate League’s 11th annual Mayors Challenge event in Minneapolis this week. The coverage is part of Mightier, a partnership with the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues to illustrate the ways in which debate strengthens the skills young people need to promote civil discourse in a multicultural democracy.

The Mayors Challenge is an annual event at which exceptional high school debaters show off their skills and engage with local and state political leaders before a crowd of supporters. MNUDL, a program of Augsburg University, provides resources and programming to support competitive academic debate for more than 1,000 students at 40 partner schools in the Twin Cities.

“After the event, Abdihafid Mohamed was glowing,” wrote reporter Lauren Giella. “Not only did he feel the adrenaline rush of speaking in front of 200 people, but he also achieved his goal of meeting new people and making connections. Even though his side lost the debate, he said he felt like a “famous celebrity.” He was overwhelmed with people congratulating him on a job well done and exchanging cards, emails and LinkedIns.

“The highlight of the program, he said, was talking face to face with Mayor Frey. Sharing the stage with Frey, Attorney General Ellison, the governor and the first lady made Mohamed feel like he could one day be a leader in his community.

“”Being part of this [MNUDL], seeing them all, means that we’re not far from each other,” he said. “I have the opportunity and possibility to be in their shoes.””

Read the full article from Newsweek: “Minneapolis Mayor Inspired By ‘Intellectual Battle’ At Debate Fundraiser”

Urban Debaters Tackle Economic Inequality Before State and Local Leaders

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The Minnesota Urban Debate League, a program of Augsburg University, is proud to present the 2023 Mayors Challenge: The Great Prosperity Debate at the American Swedish Institute from 5–8 p.m. on September 21. 

In this year’s debate, four students will split into two teams and debate issues related to the 2023–24 national policy debate topic of economic inequality. This topic engages students nationwide about the role of the U.S. federal government in fiscal redistribution, including policy proposals like a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and providing basic income.

The debate will take place in front of a community of local education supporters, including special guests Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Governor Tim Walz, First Lady Gwen Walz, and a VIP panel of economic policy experts. 

Abdihafid Mohamed of Edison High School, Minneapolis, and Adai Truong of Central High School, Saint Paul, will argue the affirmative at the 11th annual Mayors Challenge event. They will face off against Lily St Dennis of Highland Park High School, Saint Paul, and Sabrena Thao of Tartan High School, Oakdale, arguing the negative. All are members of their schools’ debate teams, hosted by the Minnesota Urban Debate League. 

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will receive the 2023 Champion of Change Award at the event. This award is given annually to a community changemaker who models courageous leadership and inspires students. Previous recipients include Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. 

Since 2012, the Mayors Challenge has brought together education advocates from across the Twin Cities to watch an empowering, informative showcase debate and invest in the future of urban debate. Debate has been shown to positively impact literacy, self-esteem, critical thinking, attendance, and test scores. Students who participate in debate develop the capacity to engage in civil disagreement and civil discourse, skills that are essential for citizenship in a multicultural democracy. 

Registration for the 2023 Mayors Challenge is available now.

About MNUDL

The Minnesota Urban Debate League is a program of Augsburg University that provides resources and programming to support competitive academic debate in Twin Cities high schools and middle schools. The mission of MNUDL is to empower students through competitive academic debate to become engaged learners, critical thinkers, and active global citizens who are effective advocates for themselves and their communities. Currently, MNUDL serves more than 1,000 students at 40 partner schools and has seen sustained growth in student participation since its inception in 2004, in programs including national topic policy debate, middle school debate, Spanish Debate League, East African Debate, Financial Literacy Leadership Debates, and MDAW Summer Speech & Debate Camp. 

For more information, contact: Minnesota Urban Debate League, Amy Cram Helwich, (612) 359-6467, cramhe@augsburg.edu.

Swedish Ambassador, Norwegian Deputy Ambassador to Speak on NATO, Ukraine, and European Security at Great NATO Debate Event

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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Sweden and Finland’s subsequent decision to join NATO have brought the issue of NATO expansion to the forefront of global security and attention. Recognizing the vital importance of these issues, four Minnesota Urban Debate League high school students will debate the implications of Nordic countries joining NATO in a showcase debate, and the Swedish Ambassador and Norwegian Deputy Chief of Mission will speak, respond, and take questions about Ukraine, Russia and the future of European security. 

The event will be held at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday, September 22 from 5:00–7:45 p.m. 

Her Excellency Ambassador of Sweden, Karin Olofsdotter, and Torleiv Opland, Deputy Chief of Mission, Norwegian Embassy in Washington D.C., will join the event virtually and speak on a panel. Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor of the United States will accept his 2022 Champion of Change Award and share remarks virtually. 

Governor Tim Walz and First Lady Gwen Walz will provide remarks live and in person, and Mayor Jacob Frey, and Mayor Melvin Carter will serve on the “Turn the Tables” panel. MPR News Host and Senior Reporter Nina Moini will serve as emcee, and Star Tribune Editorial Writer and Columnist, John Rash, will announce the winner. 

Arguing the Affirmative will be Maren Lien, senior at St. Paul Central High School and Leah Schwitzer Rodriguez, a sophomore at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. Arguing the Negative will be Sebastian Crea, a senior at Highland Park Senior High School, and Lillie Elizabeth Perez, a sophomore at Tartan High School, Oakdale. All are members of their schools’ debate teams, hosted by the Minnesota Urban Debate League, a program of Augsburg University. 

The Affirmative team will argue that NATO expansion will provide an important bulwark of stability, democracy, and a main force for solving climate change. While the Negative team will maintain that NATO expansion provokes rather than restrains conflict, and undermines both European security, trade, and climate change mitigation. 

The event is the 10th Anniversary of the Great Debate series, in which MNUDL students have performed in a debate on a timely topic and been judged by the mayors and other VIPs. 

About MNUDL

The Minnesota Urban Debate League is a program of Augsburg University that provides resources and programming to support competitive academic debate in Twin Cities high schools and middle schools. The mission of MNUDL is to empower students through competitive academic debate to become engaged learners, critical thinkers, and active global citizens who are effective advocates for themselves and their communities. Currently, MNUDL serves more than 1,000 students at 40 partner schools and has seen sustained growth in student participation since its inception in 2004, in programs including national topic policy debate, middle school debate, Spanish Debate League, East African Debate, Financial Literacy Leadership Debates, and MDAW Summer Speech & Debate Camp. 

For more information, contact: Minnesota Urban Debate League, Amy Cram Helwich, (612) 359-6467, cramhe@augsburg.edu. 

 

KARE 11 features Urban Debate’s Somali Debate Initiative

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kareMinnesota’s first-ever Somali Debate Initiative got underway on May 27 when middle- and high-school students from Minneapolis and St. Paul schools discussed the topic of remittances to Somalia. The initiative, part of the College’s successful Minnesota Urban Debate League, was developed in partnership with members of the Somali community. Learn more about the program in the KARE 11 story, Augsburg hosts first debate tournament for Somali students, and that features MnUDL staff members Amy Cram-Helwich, executive director of MNUDL, Awale Osman ’15, community outreach intern, and students.

Minnesota Public Radio reports on first Spanish-language debate hosted by Minnesota Urban Debate League

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MPRLogoMinnesota Urban Debate League’s (MNUDL) first Spanish-language debate  was the subject of a story by Minnesota Public Radio’s Tim Post. The story provided a brief overview of  why MNUDL, a program that serves more than 500 students at 33 public schools, added such a competition to its program, how the new event allows the program to introduce more bilingual students to debate, and more. Read “Augsburg College reaches bilingual students through Spanish debates.”