Friend,

Today, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments about President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan to cancel up to $20,000 in debt.

We’ve been in the trenches of the fight for student debt relief, one of the core issue areas that matter most to young voters — the decision the court makes will deeply impact the lives of millions of borrowers across the country.

Excessive debt from seeking higher education likely impacts you or someone you know. This debt takes away from our ability to pay for food, housing, health care, and to start saving for our future. But did you know that the student debt crisis is a racial justice issue as well?

Across the United States, 45 million borrowers owe approximately $2 trillion in student loan debt. But that debt isn’t divided equally among all borrowers. Nearly 9 in 10 Black students take out federal student loans to pay for college, compared to 7 in 10 for their white counterparts. 

The facts of structural discrimination in student loan borrowing are clear. As we prepare for the court’s decision to come down in the following months, we’re continuing to beat the drum for affordable pathways for higher education.

Take action: Send a message to Congress to apply pressure on our leaders to advance legislation for accessible higher education.

In solidarity,

NextGen America