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'It feels like enslavement': This working mom owes $240,000 in student loans. Now she's fighting for full cancellation to live her American Dream 'freely.'
Insider via Yahoo ^ | August 28, 2022 | Taylor Ardrey

Posted on 08/28/2022 12:02:29 PM PDT by grundle

One of Richelle Brooks' dreams is to send her two children to college without taking out any loans. She knows firsthand how taking out a loan to pursue higher education can amount to crippling debt.

"My daughter wants to be an anesthesiologist. My son wants to be a computer engineer. Two little Black kids want this for their future," Brooks, 35, told Insider. "And this country is telling me it's impossible for me to get them there. It's a terrible, hopeless feeling."

Brooks borrowed $203,000 collectively to attend undergrad, graduate, and doctoral studies. And over the years, has accumulated over $30,000 in interest.

"Yeah, $240,000," Brooks said.

In 2020, she decided to politicize her inability to pay back her loans. Apart of the Debt Collective, she joined a group of strikers called the "Biden Jubilee 100," calling on the president to cancel student debt within the early days of being in office.

Brooks' American dream is simple.

"My hope is that if my student loan debt balance is canceled, I can start saving for them and planning for their future," she said. "But I'm also hoping that we can get a free college education so that I don't have to also worry about how to finance their future either."

Living in California as a single mother is financially taxing, she said. She works as a principal in South Los Angeles, a career which she adores, but she often has to have a side hustle to live comfortably.

With the burden of student loan debt, saving money for the future is not a luxury for many Black borrowers.

(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: biden; debt; debtcancellation; education; richellebrooks; taylorardrey; yahoo; yahoonews
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To: gw-ington

LOL-—Though it was not fair to use such a small font on the /s


61 posted on 08/28/2022 12:37:24 PM PDT by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: leaning conservative
What about the father’s contribution?

You mean the fathers' not the father's.

Two kids. Likely two fathers.

62 posted on 08/28/2022 12:37:27 PM PDT by Angelino97
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To: grundle

So this mom works as a hooker on the side? And why did she borrow so much money for an education degree? I think it best, and overall, it would be if government interest to make student loans interest free, but the loans need to be paid by borrowers.


63 posted on 08/28/2022 12:38:17 PM PDT by Reno89519 (FJB. Respect America, Embrace America, Buy American, Hire American.)
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To: Angelino97

No immaculate conception?


64 posted on 08/28/2022 12:38:19 PM PDT by nascarnation (Let's Go Brandon!)
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To: Michael.SF.

Since she is a “public servant”, (works for some form of government), she qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
Though for that you supposedly have to actually make some of the payments.

She should run for Congress. AOC is now worth $29 Million.


65 posted on 08/28/2022 12:38:42 PM PDT by Do_Tar (All my comments are creative or artistic expression.)
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To: grundle

‘Side hustle’ to make ends meet? I don’t know what job that would be, but she looks like she could change tires....

....on heavy equipment...

...without special tools.


66 posted on 08/28/2022 12:39:38 PM PDT by Zuriel (Acts 2:38,39....Do you believe it?)
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To: grundle

Boo-fu**ing-hoo...


67 posted on 08/28/2022 12:39:39 PM PDT by RKRider
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To: econjack

This plan was extensively tested by consultants hired by the Dems. Via polling to determine the best election results.

Whether the consultants were correct or not will be determined in November.

If the plan works, there will be more gravy for 2024.


68 posted on 08/28/2022 12:40:42 PM PDT by nascarnation (Let's Go Brandon!)
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To: grundle

She borrowed too
Much money to get worthless (relatively speaking) degrees in a field that doesn’t pay enough for her to pay them off…

Why In the hell should everyone else pay for them ?

I guarantee her PhD isn’t in anything useful. PhD in the hard sciences and engineering get multiple six figure jobs


69 posted on 08/28/2022 12:41:19 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: gw-ington
Education is a basic human right.

Complete and utter nonsense! Your "rights" cannot obligate someone else to do something for you. Likewise, there is no "right" to medical care.

You're not claiming rights, you're claiming the power to enslave others.

I believe the government should pay

Karl Marx? Is that you?

OK ... I see the tiny "slash-S" ...

70 posted on 08/28/2022 12:41:36 PM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: HamiltonJay

She’s getting 170 grand a year.
I realize it’s Calif but that’s still decent money.


71 posted on 08/28/2022 12:43:10 PM PDT by nascarnation (Let's Go Brandon!)
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To: grundle

The article never mentions what school she attended. In fact, it fails to mention quite a few things. Is she renting, or paying a mortgage? Was some of that loan money used as a down payment?
I strongly suspect a great deal of the money was spent on things besides tuition.
Notice she has the requisite braided hair, and the artificial nails too. Those services aren’t cheap.
Then there’s the fact that she is accumulating interest charges because she isn’t making payments on the loans.
She needs to take one more course; in money management. Then she needs to add that course to the curriculum at the school where she works and really do those kids some good.


72 posted on 08/28/2022 12:43:17 PM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
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To: grundle
Her shirt says “Listen to Black Women”

Why? They’re just the ones in the background of their kid’s arrest screaming: “They didn do nuffin!!!”

Who wants to listen to that?

73 posted on 08/28/2022 12:44:17 PM PDT by politicket
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To: Maine Mariner

Yes, good point. Additionally, the US Military runs something called the SMART program. Pays for the whole shooting match, and comes with the stipend you mentioned.

‘course nothing’s free, you have to pay your years back working as a civil servant.


74 posted on 08/28/2022 12:44:46 PM PDT by Sarcazmo ("Sarcasm is the highest form of wit" ~ O. Wilde)
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To: grundle

It takes an advanced degree to be this dumb.

It takes a stunted morality to be this beholden to the sin of envy.


75 posted on 08/28/2022 12:46:09 PM PDT by BuddhaBrown (Path to enlightenment: Four right turns, then go straight until you see the Light!)
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To: Michael.SF.

Matrix for Success Academy is ranked 1,265-1,603rd within California. The total minority enrollment is 99%, and 92% of students are economically disadvantaged.

There are many loan programs that pay off your loans if you work in an urban school or teach a STEM subject. Why didn’t she apply to those programs? Here is one:
Perkins Loan Cancellation for Teachers forgives up to 100% of your Federal Perkins Loan Program if you teach full-time at a low-income school, or if you teach certain subjects.


76 posted on 08/28/2022 12:49:17 PM PDT by ladyjane
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To: grundle

If daughter and son can’t figure it out... it’s hopeless. They want everything they do to be paid for. You can be sure her son will be angry when he is not paid for his work, and her daughter will check the insurance status of her patients.
Sounds like agit prop. The Dems are going again for their entitled voters. Baby makers and killers. “Free everything” voters. The well will run dry and many will be begging in the streets.


77 posted on 08/28/2022 12:52:14 PM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and diamonds, and harder to find.)
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To: BenLurkin

And these people vote.


78 posted on 08/28/2022 12:52:44 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

“Socialism works great until you run out of OPM.” That is it!

The squeaky wheel gets the OPM!
Say it LOUD, sister!


79 posted on 08/28/2022 12:53:59 PM PDT by arizonarick
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To: dennisw

Obviously she has no intent to pay or her balance would be lower by now.


80 posted on 08/28/2022 12:56:50 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizens Are Born Here of Citizen Parents)(Know Islam, No Peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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