Co-hosting Shanna and producer Emma speak to Los Angeles-based standup comic, actor, and writer River Butcher about the reality and loneliness of having student loans, making life and career decisions based on finances, and power…Read more
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…Read more
This week Shanna speaks to a panel of experts 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…Read more
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…Read more
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…Read more
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…Read more
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…Read more
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…Read more
This week new host Shanna Bennett 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…Read more
Welcome, Shanna Bennett, 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…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…Read more
Political Scientist and public servant Jon Oberg spoke 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…Read more
Elizabeth Tandy Shermer speaks about her new book, Indentured Students. Elizabeth takes Nikki through the history of American education and housing reform during the New Deal that landed us in a crisis today. Related Articles…Read more
This week Nason FKA Carly talks to Nikki about her experience navigating a for-profit education to the artist she is today. Nason shares the radically transparent story of the Parent Plus loans that are overwhelming…Read more
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…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…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…Read more
Kim Baker shares her experience navigating the loan forgiveness system and recently achieved student debt cancellation. Kim tells Nikki about listening to the experiences of others with student debt inspired her to take action on…Read more
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…Read more
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…Read more
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…Read more
Student Loan Justice 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…Read more
Who is really to blame for the American student loan crisis and how is it perpetuated? Filmmaker Michael Camoin’s new documentary series Scared to Debt explores and reveals the depths of the American student loan…Read more
What happens when you have a huge balance of student debt to pay back, but no degree to show for it? This week’s guest, Alisha, tells Nikki about her experience with student loans as someone…Read more
Ashley Strahm was 16 when she was accepted to college — so young that her immigrant parents had to use Parent PLUS Loans to pay for what wasn't covered by her scholarships. Now a writer…Read more
As a public servant, Kate Spaulding qualified for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. (PSLF is for those employed by a U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government or not-for-profit organization.) After 120 payments toward…Read more
Student loan advisor by day and musician by night, Bridget Haile uses her own experience navigating student debt repayment to work at Summer, which partners with large employers, financial institutions, and unions to help their…Read more