The Queen’s Gambit: Michelle Adika (Part 2)

In this second installment of The Queen’s Gambit, we sit down with Michelle Adika, one of the boldest voices in global debating, to unpack what it means to be a Black woman holding space at the World Universities Debate Championship. From strategy secrets for anyone wanting to reach PAUDC Johannesburg finals, to honest takes on accessibility in global debating, to whether The Bin Room Banter should be “cancelled” (👀), Michelle brings heat, humor, and hard truth. Oh, and yes, we settle the tea on women fighting over top-room boys. She also dropped a few tips on prep for Jozi: A. Depth in African Philosophy: African philosophy: exploring what it truly means to be African. B. Political and Historical Context: Southern Africa’s political landscape: especially South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. C. Mastery of Rules and Application: We need to strengthen our grasp of debate rules, not just in theory, but in how they shape obligations within a round. In SAUDC rounds, teams are precise about framework and context. For example, they call out when arguments are retrospective rather than grounded in what has happened. They also make sure to clearly flag specific actions that fulfill what the motion demands. Happy prep for Jozi