The great promise of success in America has been this: work hard, get an education, and there’s nothing you can’t do. That promise is no longer being kept for far too many of us. Student loan debt is eating away so much of our disposable income, keeping us from buying homes, starting families, and starting businesses. We’re now living in a nation with more than a trillion dollars in student loan debt—and much of that debt cannot be refinanced or even cleared via bankruptcy.

Our guest Natalia Abrams is the Executive Director of Student Debt Crisis, where she advocates for student debt reform, affordable education, and smart lending solutions for everyone pursuing a degree.