BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//sebbo.net//ical-generator//EN NAME:DC Public Library X-WR-CALNAME:DC Public Library BEGIN:VEVENT UID:b314113d-69c4-466e-beeb-7b9637415f7b SEQUENCE:0 DTSTAMP:20260726T104448Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260625T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260625T200000 SUMMARY:Civic Season Reads LOCATION:Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library\nMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Martin Luther King Jr. Mem orial Library - Central Library;X-APPLE-RADIUS=10;X-TITLE=Martin Luther Ki ng Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library:geo:38.8986823,-77.024871 GEO:38.8986823;-77.024871 DESCRIPTION:An evening with Bo Seo and Shamichael Hallman for Civic Season ..\nhttps://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/16690745 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Thinking about how to have difficult conve rsations with people in your life? Join the Library\, the Urban Libraries Council\, and Politics and Prose Bookstore for a special Civic Season conversatio n about the power of debate and discourse. Two time world champion debater Bo Seo will discuss his book Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard&nb sp\;with a live audience and explore the ways the competitive debate gives us tools to speak up about things that matter and listen to others say th eir piece.

Start the conversation on the DC Public Library Civic S eason page by downloading the bo ok from our Libby app. \;

Copies of Good Arguments will be available for sale and signing from Politics and Prose Bookstore\, and li mited number will be available for giveaway from the DC Public Library Fou ndation. \;

About the book

Tw o-time world champion debater and former coach of the Harvard debate team\ , Bo Seo tells the inspiring story of his life in competitive debating and reveals the timeless secrets of effective communication and persuasion

When Bo Seo was 8 years old\, he and his family migrated from Korea to Australia. At the time\, he did not speak English\, and\, unsurprisingl y\, struggled at school. But\, then\, in fifth grade\, something happened to change his life: he discovered competitive debate. Immediately\, he was hooked. It turned out\, perhaps counterintuitively\, that debating was th e perfect activity for someone shy and unsure of himself. It became a way for Bo not only to find his voice\, but to excel socially and academically . And he&rsquo\;s not the only one. Far from it: presidents\, Supreme Cour t justices\, and CEOs are all disproportionally debaters. This is hardly a coincidence. By tracing his own journey from immigrant kid to world champ ion\, Seo shows how the skills of debating&mdash\;information gathering\, truth finding\, lucidity\, organization\, and persuasion&mdash\;are often the cornerstone of successful careers and happy lives.

Drawing ins ights from its strategies\, structure\, and history\, Seo teaches readers the skills of competitive debate\, and in doing so shows how they can impr ove their communication with friends\, family\, and colleagues alike. He t akes readers on a thrilling intellectual adventure into the eccentric and brilliant subculture of competitive debate\, touching on everything from t he radical politics of Malcom X to Artificial Intelligence. Seo proves bey ond a shadow of a doubt that\, far from being a source of conflict\, good- faith debate can enrich our daily lives. \;Indeed\, these good argumen ts are essential to a flourishing democracy\, and are more important than ever at time when bad faith is all around\, and our democracy seems so imp eriled.
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About the author and convers ation partner

Bo Seo is a two-time world champion debater\, journalist\ , and lawyer. One of the most recognized figures in the global debate comm unity\, he has won both the World Schools Debating Championship and the Wo rld Universities Debating Championship. In his passionate and inspiring ta lks\, Seo discusses how the skills of debating are often the cornerstone o f success and teaches his audience the debate strategies that can be used to improve their lives.

When two-time world champion debater Bo Seo was 8 years old\, his family immigrated from South Korea to Australia . Knowing no English\, Seo struggled with school before he discovered comp etitive debate\, a new passion that helped him excel both socially and aca demically. In his inspirational talks\, Seo speaks on how debate empowered him to find his voice\, and he shares how spoken rhetoric has helped peop le on their paths to success. He offers workshops to teach audiences how t o view a debate from the opposing perspective\, to listen actively\, and t o disagree with respect and provides them with a range of tools they can u se to better communicate with their co-workers\, fellow students\, or team members.

In his beautifully written personal growth memoir\, \;Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and be Heard\, \;Bo Seo tells the inspiring story of his journey from immigrant kid to world c hampion and reveals the timeless secrets of effective communication and pe rsuasion. He explains how the central pillars in the art of debate&mdash\; fact-finding\, reason\, persuasion\, and listening to opponents&mdash\;are important across all aspects of life\, from ensuring a healthy democracy to everyday conversations. Seo shares the vital lessons on how to build a community with empathetic disagreement.

Building on his passion fo r debating\, Bo Seo works as a lawyer. He has written for \;The New Yo rk Times\, \;The Atlantic\, \;CNN\, \;and many other publicati ons. He previously worked as a national reporter for the \;Australian Financial Review \;and has been a regular panelist on the prime-time A ustralian debate program\, \;The Drum.

Bo Seo graduated from H arvard University. During his time with the Harvard College Debating Union \, Bo Seo became the 2016 World Universities Debating Champion\, the large st and most prestigious collegiate debate competition in the world. \; He received a master&rsquo\;s degree in public policy from Tsinghua Univer sity\, and a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

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Shamichael Hallman headshot Conversation partner Shamichael Hallman \;is a soc ial\, civic and tech innovator. As a '23 Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Gradua te School of Design\, he explored how urban design and planning can make f or socially inclusive cities. He has served as the Senior Library Manager with Memphis Public Libraries where he guided the reimagining of the histo ric Cossitt Library. His 2020 TEDx talk "Reimagining the Public Library to Reconnect the Community" garnered international acclaim. In 2021 he co-fo unded Libraries as Bridges which focuses on evaluating how libraries build social cohesion\, promote civic renewal and advance the ideals of a healt hy democracy."

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