Atlanta: A Growing Struggle for Older Student Debtors
It’s a hard truth that many of our older Americans, those over 60, are feeling the weight of student debt on their shoulders. This demographic is actually one of the fastest growing groups of student debtors. For many, like me, this burden isn’t just a small bump in the road; it’s a heavy load that’s hard to carry, especially when funds are limited. I’m 77 years old, and I find myself staring at a staggering $549,497.20 in student loans. Yes, you read that right.
The Daily Grind of Debt Repayment
Each month, I stretch my limited income across essential payments like rent, groceries, medical bills, and gas. In this juggling act, student loan payments often slide to the bottom of the priority list, sometimes not getting paid at all. You see, many of us have been left in the lurch by a system that has failed us—broken relief programs, shady loan servicers, and a government that seems to neglect the growing crisis among older debtors.
This Thursday, September 12, I’m making a trip from my home in Atlanta to Washington D.C. with the Debt Collective’s caucus of older student debtors. Together, we’re demanding that the White House and the US Department of Education take action to clear the burdensome loans that weigh on millions of us. It’s time for older Americans to take a stand—this is the first time our voices lead the charge for student debt cancellation.
The Urgency of the Situation
Despite ongoing challenges from the far right to block relief, the cancellation of student loans is legal and absolutely necessary. The education department has the tools to make quick relief possible—after all, they are allowed to discharge student loans based on the debtor’s age. It’s high time the Biden-Harris administration steps up and uses this authority to help those of us who are older and struggling. If they don’t, we’re facing the possibility of dragging these unpayable debts to our graves. Can you imagine that?
Why I Took on Debt
Like many others, I took on this debt to try to create a better life for myself and my family. As a single parent, I was determined to provide for my kids—feeding them, clothing them, encouraging their passions. I earned a master’s degree in English education and spent 20 years teaching in low-performing schools, working tirelessly in communities of color just like the ones I came from in the Bronx.
I loved teaching and watching my students grow, attending their games and graduations, and even supporting them financially when I could. Teaching was my passion, but let’s face it, it didn’t pay the bills.
Back to School Again
After retiring from teaching, I still couldn’t afford to stop working. So, at age 65, I went back to school again, this time for a master’s in pastoral counseling. I wanted to help my community heal—especially women who had faced sexual abuse, just like I had. I witnessed incredible transformations as women found their voices and began to heal. My advocacy work has deepened since then and now, there’s even a law expanding rape kit tracking in Florida named after me!
But here’s the frustrating part: even as I’ve fought for others, I’ve felt trapped in my own financial struggle. Each time I got a notice from my loan servicer, it sent my blood pressure up. I avoided opening the envelopes, letting them pile up until I had to face the music. The numbers were suffocating—enough to make you think I had a million-dollar salary rather than struggling to make ends meet.
The Need for Immediate Action
It has become clear to me that there’s a path to relief: the Biden-Harris administration can cancel our student loans now. It’s time for the president and education department to take responsibility. The longer they wait, the larger this crisis will grow. Today’s young debtors are just tomorrow’s older debtors, and we cannot continue to let the stigma of debt shame us into silence.
Demanding Change
Older student debtors are finally uniting and gearing up to march to Washington, D.C. We want our loans canceled in our lifetimes—not after we’ve passed on. It’s a race against time, and with elections right around the corner, it’s time for politicians to act. The White House possesses the power to bring us the relief we so desperately need, and it’s high time we held them accountable.
Will they rise to the occasion? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—we can’t afford to wait any longer.
