AFSCME Family,

As a mother of four, I have always seen education as the way to create a better life for my children and myself. But after earning a second degree and borrowing for my children’s education, I was $305,000 in debt.

I could have pursued a lucrative private sector career. Instead, I chose to serve my community as an IT professional with the New York City Fire Department and a member of AFSCME District Council 37. I sacrificed a lot to reduce my debt, but after years of being locked into a never-ending cycle of student loan payments, I didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.

That was until my union helped me erase nearly $200,000 in federal student loan debt. They gave me the tools to take advantage of new, temporary changes issued by the Biden Administration to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Please join me and send a letter to thank the Biden administration for their work and encourage them to keep expanding student debt relief.

These changes, which AFSCME advocated for, created a temporary waiver, available until Oct. 31, 2022, that dramatically increases the number of public service workers who are eligible for debt relief. Since the fall, 70,000 public service workers like me have had their loans forgiven.

To me, that is the union difference: having a voice in Washington and the ability to elect leaders who listen and value our contributions to our communities.

Still, far too many working people are being crushed by the weight of student debt.

Send a letter to thank the Biden administration and encourage them to keep expanding student debt relief.

As public service workers, we don’t do this work to get rich. We do it because helping our communities means everything. It’s incredible to get student debt relief, but the feeling of recognition for my service is priceless.

In solidarity,

Laura Morand
AFSCME member