Hosts Cecil Prescod and Celeste Carey interview Robert Applebaum, founder of Founder of ForgiveStudentLoanDebt.com, a grassroots movement that began as a proposal entitled "Forgive Student Loan Debt to Stimulate the Economy" which he posted to a Facebook group by the same name in late January, 2009.
The following is from http://forgivestudentloandebt.com/content/about
Almost immediately upon posting the proposal, people from all walks of life began to join, sharing their stories of economic hardship and struggle as a result of their crushing student loan debts. While the original proposal was intended as an alternative economic stimulus plan, the group quickly evolved as a vehicle for exposing the gross inequities and unfair practices inherent in the student lending industry.
After membership grew to approximately 1000 people within the first week, a reporter for the Huffington Post wrote an article about the proposal and group and, thereafter, membership grew by the thousands. The group enjoyed a great deal of positive press attention in the Spring of 2009 which only served to increase membership, now close to a quarter of a million people!
ForgiveStudentLoanDebt.com was founded so as to take this growing grassroots movement to the next level through lobbying, education and advocacy for a complete overhaul to the way higher education is financed in this country.
- KBOO