Matter of Life and Debt

This week Shanna chats with the team from Debtless, a nonprofit organization that seeks to uplift the communities in need and create a debt cancellation structure that provides much-needed financial relief to people across the United States. Tina and Corei share their personal experiences with student debt and their journey to learning more about the insidious and predatory debt industry.  Referen...

Former guest Ashley Strahm returns with big news — she is student debt free! After a viral LinkedIn announcement about paying the last of her student loans, Ashley sits down with Talia Molé to share how it feels to be debt free, why she still advocates for student debt cancellation and all of the possibilities ahead. References Episode 22: The American Dream Ashley’s first episode Ashley Strahm on...

Public health researcher, recent PA Congressional candidate, and student debt cancellation advocate Alexandra Hunt speaks to host Shanna about the burden of student debt on many like herself. Alexandra spoke up about student debt and education reform during her recent political campaign. Listen to what she learned from her own experiences and her campaign! References Alexandra Hunt- Website Alexan...

📣 Special episode! Shanna and Emma speak to comedian and writer River Butcher about the reality and loneliness of having student loans, making life and career decisions based on finances, and the power of the collective good to care 10% more about each other. They also discuss the impact of sharing about student loans on a public platform and the opportunity to build solidarity when student debt...

Shanna speaks with Debt Collective members Thomas Gokey (Debt Collective Co-Founder), Dr. Shamell Bell (Harvard lecturer) and Braxton Brewington (Debt Collective Press Secretary) about their foundational belief in the Rolling Jubilee. The group shares their work with Bennett College to abolish $1.7M in student debt.  References Rolling Jubilee Is a Spark—Not the Solution Why income caps for studen...

This week Shanna speaks to a panel of economists to bust common myths perpetuated about student loan cancellation. Laura Beamer, Lead Researcher Higher Education Finance, Jain Family Institute, Jalil Bishop, Assistant Professor of Education at Villanova University, and Attorney Sparky Abraham clarify how cancellation would affect the economy, who benefits from cancellation, and why means testing d...

Shanna talks to Jennifer Esteen, candidate for California Assembly District 20 about her platform unpinned by behavioral health care, affordable housing, and fully funded public education. Jennifer shares her personal experience with student debt and how she got some of her private student loans discharged through bankruptcy, a seemingly impossible feat!  References JenniferEsteen.com @Esteen4CA o...

After the April 4th Day of Action, President Biden announced another extension of the student loan pause. But what does this mean for student debtors? Host Shanna Bennett speaks to three members of the Debt Collective about what this means, how it's affecting student debtors, and what efforts will continue between now and August 31st. Note from the editor: It is currently disputed as to whether th...

Pick up the pen, Joe! Matter of Life and Debt producers Emma and Nikki and host Shanna are on the scene at the Debt Collective’s April 4th Day of Action in Washington, D.C. Protestors from all over the country turned out to demand that Joe Biden sign an Executive Order to cancel student debt. Hear from student debt cancellation advocates Nina Turner, Marianne Williamson, Briahna Joy Gray, Astra Ta...

Three Debt Collective Working Group leaders Thomas Gokey , Jen Lezan, and Fred Bell speak to Shanna Bennet about their teams of volunteers and opportunities for impact in the fight for student debt cancellation. They also share details about the upcoming April 4th Day of Action in front of the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Visit www.debtcollective.org to join them. Related Articles &...

Shanna Bennett speaks to three Debt Collective founders Laura Hannah , Thomas Gokey , and Andrew Ross about the formation of the Debt Collective and how far they’ve come. They also discuss the upcoming Pick Up the Pen, Joe: April 4th Day of Action to challenge the end of the student loan moratorium and demand student loan cancellation in front of the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Rea...

This week new host Shanna Bennet speaks to Maddy Clifford about being an artist and entrepreneur who has student debt. Shanna and Maddy discuss the inequity of the student debt burden on black women and how it affects their career choices. Maddy also shares how she got involved with the Debt Collective and the student debt content she creates for TikTok. Read More  

Welcome, Shanna Bennet, the new host of Matter of Life and Debt! Shanna kicks off her new hosting duties in a conversation with Kiyomi Kowalski, who is a diversity and inclusion educator, and a lifelong public servant. Kiyomi talks about why she signed up for the Marine Corps at age 17, paid education being the main motivation, and where she’s at today on her student debt journey.  Read More

Fred Bell, Programs and Operations Manager of The Debt Collective speaks with Nikki about how his perspective on debt has evolved since joining the organization. He talks about his passion for direct action and organizing to help communities disproportionately affected by the burden of all types of debt. Fred also shares The Debt Collective’s plans for direct action on April 4th to protest the end...

Political Scientist and public servant Jon Oberg speaks to Nikki about his decades of work investigating fraud in the student loan industry. He has filed suit against nine student loans lenders and studied student financial aid distributions over time. Jon is a panelist in the January 13th Scared to Debt documentary series discussion on How Government Guaranteed Loans Left Generations Drowning in...

Elizabeth Tandy Shermer, Associate Professor of History at Loyola University Chicago speaks with Nikki about her new book, Indentured Students: How Government-Guaranteed Loans Left Generations Drowning in College Debt . Elizabeth takes Nikki through the history of American education and housing reform during the New Deal that landed us in a crisis today. Read More

This week Carly McCarthy talks to Nikki about her experience navigating a for-profit education to the artist she is today. Carly shares the radically transparent story of the Parent Plus loans that are overwhelming her family and explains why student debt is specifically a queer issue.  Read More

This week Nikki speaks to meteorologist April Vogt about her decade-long journey to graduate from college with as little accumulated student debt as possible while also pursuing her career ambitions. April talks about her personal interest in meteorology and the importance of education to her personal and global goals. Read More

Braxton Brewington, Press Secretary of the Debt Collective explains what we know about President Biden’s heavily redacted and unreleased student debt memo obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. He breaks down the Debt Collective’s position on the President’s legal authority to cancel student debt. Read More

Writer and product marketing manager Miranda speaks to Nikki about her evolving relationship with student debt and how it shaped her career choices. Miranda believes in transparency around money and conversations that help us increase financial confidence and wellness. She also shares an experience with student loan scammers and examines the vulnerability that exists when we imagine a future witho...

Life-long academic Kim Baker shares her experience navigating the Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness system and recently achieved student debt cancellation. Kim tells Nikki about listening to the experiences of others with student debt that inspired her to take action on her own. Kim’s years in academia are intrinsically tied to her student debt not only in the monetary cost but al...

Musician and activist Reggie Harris uses his art to build community, share the burden of our challenges, and enact social change. He discusses the intersectionality of activism and the history of our country to exercise our rights as Americans. This week he shares his experience as a co-signer of a student loan that doesn’t even belong to him. Reggie is featured in the upcoming Scared to Debt docu...

From Scared to Debt to Action, Nikki moderates a panel for Sallie Mae Not, the first episode of the Scared to Debt documentary series. Nikki asks panelists Alan Collinge, founder of Student Loan Justice, Reggie Harris, musician and educator, and Mike McGuirk, activist, and founder of Bliss Factory about their personal experiences as student debt borrowers. The panel discusses the current activism...

Nikki checks back in with Alisha from the “All Debt, No Degree” episode. Alisha has transformed her relationship with her loan repayment and tackled the student debt monster that previously controlled her life. Over the last two years, Alisha has faced the details of her loans head-on and refinanced her loans with a change of jobs and city. Alisha shares her reflections and lessons learned as she...

StudentLoanJustice.org founder Alan Collinge speaks to Nikki about the lack of consumer protections for student loan borrowers and the introduction of two bankruptcy bills that he believes are the first necessary step toward student loan cancellation. Alan explains how Congress and President Biden can work in tandem to reset a predatory lending system and reimagine a more equitable system for Amer...