Dear John,

When student loan repayments were in full swing, I was in a very difficult place. Every day was about making it to the next day without overdrafting my bank account. I was the lowest body fat percentage I have ever been because I was living off eggs, ramen noodles, coffee, and anxiety. I was in my mid 20s and I was not thriving. The source of all my discomfort came from student debt payments.

My student debt repayments were about $900/month. My monthly rent in a two bedroom apartment that I shared with roommates was less than half of that. Every time I called my student loan provider, begging for a way to reduce my monthly payments, I was met with the same response – “dang, that’s a really high monthly rate, but there’s nothing we can do.”

I worked multiple jobs and have had to leave jobs for higher paying roles when I’ve needed a raise to keep up with my student debt repayments. My father started playing the lottery purely in the hopes to help pay off my student loans. It was a lose-lose scenario. This year, every time we’ve come close to student loan repayments being turned on, that familiar anxiety raises within me. How much will I have to tighten my belt this time?

Student debt is running my life. It’s deciding where I can afford to live, which jobs I can afford to take, when I can afford to have children, and the type of financial stability I can offer a long-term partner. This is why every single employer should be advocating for student debt cancellation and why we should be supporting candidates who actually have the gusto to cancel student debt. Student debt cancellation is a built in raise for every student debt holder in this country that doesn’t put their employer out of pocket.

My opponent takes money from my personal student loan provider and it felt like nothing short of a slap in the face when I learned this. I’ve voted for my opponent. I voted for him when I was in survival mode, counting on someone else who wasn’t so close to the cliff edge to be fighting to make things better for people like me. Meanwhile, he was busy lining his pockets with money from my struggle.

That’s why I’m running to unseat him. That’s why I’m running to cancel student debt.

I can't do it without your help. Please consider pitching in today to help me break the shackles of student debt.