Last weekend kicked off the NAACP’s annual convention and representatives have identified student debt as one of the “3 alarming crises” White House officials will be asked to address this week.

The convention will feature guest speakers like Vice President Kamala Harris, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice Kristen Clarke, and Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna and Cory Booker – just to name a few.

Along with topics such as voting rights and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the student debt crisis will be discussed as a crucial issue impacting Black Americans and swaying Black voters in the upcoming midterm elections. Business Insider recently weighed in on the effects of student debt on Black borrowers:

“When it comes to student debt, millions of voters are waiting for President Joe Biden's announcement of relief. He is reportedly considering $10,000 in loan forgiveness for borrowers making under $150,000 a year, but with student-loan payments set to resume after August 31, the clock is ticking for a final announcement. It's an issue that disproportionately impacts Black borrowers.”

Black borrowers are more likely to take out student loans to begin with than their white counterparts, and while the median white borrower will owe just 6% of their student debt 20 years after entering college, the median Black borrower will still owe 95% of their debt over the same period.

The hope for many in attendance at the conference this week is that White House officials will address whether or not there will be an extension on the student loan pause that is set to expire on August 31.

Borrowers are trapped in a worrisome waiting game, and every day is a new day of cautious optimism that President Biden will either extend the pause on student loan payments or fully commit to student debt cancellation.

Read the full article here.