Our student loan payments would have restarted this week

Our student loan payments would have restarted this week if President Biden hadn’t extended the moratorium. The extension is a good thing, BUT deferment is still set to end in May. We need to make it crystal clear to decision makers that a temporary pause on student loan payments is not enough. It’s time to #CancelStudentDebt for good.

Join us in letting President Biden and your Congresspeople know what it means to not have to make a federal student loan payment this month. Make your message personal for the greatest impact.

Here’s what I (DyAnna), am going to say: Without the moratorium extension, I’d be feeling the squeeze of an added $298 to the $519 I’m already paying in private loans each month. The moratorium has given me some space to breathe, and a sense of what my future could be without the heavy burden of student debt. 

I did so much to prepare for payments to restart this week — refinancing, reading, and trying to figure out how to give myself some grace. I was gearing up for some tough times. While the deferment extension is old news by now, I’m still in shock, feeling:

🙏 Thankful that the moratorium was extended.

🙃 Perplexed. I was SO SURE that when Biden said the last extension was THE LAST EXTENSION that he was about to take action on a permanent solution — instead of keeping people with student debt on pins and needles. 

🤬 Angry. It is SO clear that we need debt cancellation.

I’m transforming these feelings into action with the Student Debt Cancellation Crew. We’re joining together to tell President Biden and our Congresspeople: It’s past time to cancel student debt. Like The Debt Collective tweeted recently, “If you can PAUSE INTEREST and PAYMENT, you can CANCEL the PRINCIPAL.” 

Write your message now, and don’t forget to personalize it.

Then, take a moment to tweet at Representative Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) and Senator Tina Smith (@TinaSmithMN) to thank them for being champions in the movement to #CancelStudentDebt. Public messages are a powerful way to appreciate the decision makers in our corner — and motivate them to keep going in this fight. 

One last thing: Over the next few weeks, watch for messages from Student Debt Cancellation Crew members Megan and Nick. They’ll invite you to upcoming opportunities to dive into the roots of the student debt crisis, let go of shame around student debt, and take action together. Register now for their events on February 17th and 24th. 

More soon,

DyAnna (she/her) + the Student Debt Cancellation Crew