There are so many reasons to be happy about President Biden’s decision to cancel student debt this week (about 43 million reasons, to be more specific).But I just keep thinking about how many doors of opportunity this is going to open up for people who need a second chance. Doors like the one I got to walk through.

Growing up, my dream was to become a teacher. And I knew that if I wanted to teach, I had to get a college degree. But I didn’t come from a family that could write big tuition checks.

I managed to get a college scholarship, but then things turned upside down. The first boy I ever dated swooped back into my life and said he wanted to marry me. So I did what any sensible, mature 19-year-old would do: I said yes and dropped out of college.

I thought my dream of teaching was over. But then a friend told me about the University of Houston about 40 minutes away. We were a young couple, watching every nickel. I figured I couldn’t afford it.

But it turned out that tuition was just $50 a semester. This was a quality, public education — and I could afford it on a part-time waitressing salary. This time around, I had the good sense to grab my chance at college with both hands. I got my degree from the University of Houston (go Cougars!) and I got to live my dream: I became a public school teacher.

Affordable higher education opened a million doors for me. It’s how the daughter of a janitor in Oklahoma got to become a teacher, a law school professor, a U.S. senator, and eventually, a candidate for president of the United States.

But that same opportunity just doesn’t exist today. Tens of millions of Americans who don’t come from wealthy families have been crushed by debt — all because they did what everyone told them to do, and continued their education to get a fighting chance at the middle class. That is just plain wrong.

So shortly after I launched my campaign for president, one of the first plans I released was to cancel student debt and ensure free technical schools, community colleges, and public universities. This wasn’t only influenced by my own experience — it was inspired by all the stories I heard from all of you.

Across the country, in selfie line after selfie line, so many people came up to me with tears in their eyes explaining how much debt they were in. Hardworking people who were doing their best, and busting their tails every day trying to make a living — with their student loan debt just constantly weighing them down.

They just needed a second chance.

Our fight for student debt cancellation still went on after that campaign. We organized as a grassroots movement, shared our stories, and kept pushing for change — and this week, President Biden took strong action.

I’m going to keep fighting to make sure families get all the relief they need, and to put higher education within reach for everyone. But let’s take some time to celebrate the wins along the way — and build momentum for the fights ahead.

I just want to share how grateful I am. Big, structural change like canceling student debt is possible, if we continue standing shoulder to shoulder and fighting side by side.

Thank you — from the very bottom of my heart — for being a part of this,

Elizabeth

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