Episode notes
In this episode of Learning Disrupted, I the host Sydney Ledoux, explores how the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the already severe student debt crisis in the United States. Before the pandemic, student debt levels were reaching unprecedented highs, with the average graduate owing $30,000. Women of color, particularly Black and Latina women, were disproportionately burdened by debt due to systemic inequities. This debt often forces students to delay life milestones such as starting a family or purchasing a home. The ripple effects of this financial burden contribute to the growing racial wealth gap in the United States. By 2020, the average debt for students entering public colleges was projected to climb to $37,200.
When COVID-19 hit, it magnified these financial struggles. Many students, particularly women of color, were overrepresented in se ...