--- title: "This Week in Social Justice - Ep3: Canceling Student Debt & COVID-19's Effect on Child Morbidity" description: News Beat podcast's This Week in Social Justice livestream highlights the heavy burden of student debt on minorities & COVID-19's hidden tolls on children. image: https://www.usnewsbeat.com/hubfs/nb-twisj.jpg --- [![](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/hubfs/NewsBeat_Logo_HighRes.jpg) ](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/) ** ** - [Episodes](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/episodes) - [Subscribe](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/subscribe) - [About](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/about) - [Artists & Guests](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/artists-and-guests) - Web Exclusives - [This Week In Social Justice](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/twisj) - [Guide to Civil Unrest](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/civilunrest) - [COVID-19](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/covid-19) - [Mass Incarceration](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/mass-incarceration) - [Bonus Content](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog) - [Media](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/media) - [Support](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/support) - [Contact](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/contact) # This Week in Social Justice - Ep3: Canceling Student Debt & COVID-19's Effect on Child Morbidity Posted by [News Beat](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/author/news-beat) on November 23, 2020  •  4 min read ![News Beat](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/hubfs/NewsBeat_BlogAuthorAvatar.jpg) Follow us [**](https://www.facebook.com/USNewsBeat/) [**](https://www.twitter.com/usnewsbeat) The crushing personal and professional toll of college debt on American students—*especially those of color*—is impossible to deny. Not only do Black borrowers assume more *and* face greater challenges repaying it, a [2018 analysis](https://cde.wisc.edu/wp-2018-02/) into racial disparities in student loan debt by The Center for Demography and Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison concluded "that student debt may be a new mechanism of inequality that creates fragility in the next generation of the black middle class." The issue has also evolved into a perennial stumping subject among U.S. presidential hopefuls, with both former Democratic primary candidates Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren promising various levels of forgiveness during their campaigns. The jury's still out on whether Democratic President-Elect Joe Biden will implement any meaningful reform, such as an executive order, for example, to dent the record-breaking [*$1.6 trillion*](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2020/02/03/student-loan-debt-statistics/?sh=29d2deb3281f) in student loan debt of more than *45 million borrowers*, yet civil rights advocates are hopeful. Fenaba Addo, associate professor of consumer science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and co-author of the aforementioned report, joins us on this third installment of 'This Week in Social Justice,' to discuss. Here's the interview: This episode also falls on 'World Children's Day,' and we dedicate a segment to highlight several of the critical yet lesser-known ramifications of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on the health, safety and socioeconomic stability of children across the globe—sharing initiatives by the United Nations Children's Fund ([UNICEF](https://www.unicef.org/)) and nonprofit [Save The Children](https://www.savethechildren.org/) to combat its brutal, deadly, often hidden devastation. Of course, no show would be complete without the incisive, politically relevant humor and showmanship of News Beat podcast producer Manny Faces, or bizarrely, Abraham Lincoln references *(Wait, what?!)*, and neither disappoint. As always, you can tune into 'This Week in Social Justice' livestream every Friday at 1 p.m. ET via [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/USNewsBeat/), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcME0Y2Tjow7dGRGjqgK8rQ) and now, [Twitch](https://www.twitch.tv/usnewsbeat), and listen to the weekly show and all our previous podcast episodes [wherever you score your favorites](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/subscribe). We hope you enjoy, and perhaps even get inspired. Other issues discussed include: - The rising incarceration rate of women, with [data](https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2020/11/10/women-drug-enforcement/) from the nonprofit [Prison Policy Initiative](https://www.prisonpolicy.org/) - Disturbing [reporting by the *Tampa Bay Times*](https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2020/investigations/police-pasco-sheriff-targeted/school-data/) exposing how Pasco's sheriff uses grades and abuse histories of schoolchildren to label them as potential criminals (Yup) - Latest [FBI hate crime report's findings](https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2019-hate-crime-statistics), which document that 2019 had the most hate-motivated violence in a decade, and the *highest number of hate-fueled murders ever, with a record-breaking 51 fatal attacks* [Listen to the podcast by subscribing to News Beat on your favorite pod app, and sign up for our newsletter. ](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/subscribe?hsLang=en) Please be sure to [subscribe](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/subscribe), rate and review us [wherever you listen to podcasts](http://link.chtbl.com/newsbeat)—Apple, Spotify, Stitcher—and visit USNewsBeat.com for all our previous episodes and unique blend of social justice journalism and independent hip hop. --- ### For more, watch 'This Week In Social Justice,' featuring Fenaba Addo. --- Topics: [civil liberties](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/tag/civil-liberties) ###### Share This ### News Beat is an award-winning social justice podcast melding independent, hard-hitting journalism with original music from independent artists. Never miss an episode by [subscribing to News Beat](https://usnewsbeat-6888400.hs-sites.com/subscribe) on your favorite podcast app, and be sure to leave a rating and review while you're there. Remember, journalism never sounded so good! ### Leave a Comment ## Recent Articles [![](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/nypc_awards1-1024x730.jpg)](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/news-beat-wins-best-podcast-2021-new-york-press-club-journalism-awards) ### [News Beat Wins Top Podcast at 2021 New York Press Club Journalism Awards](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/news-beat-wins-best-podcast-2021-new-york-press-club-journalism-awards) July 30, 2021 [civil liberties](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/topic/civil-liberties) News Beat podcast won top honors at the 2021 New York Press Club Journalism Awards for shining a light on state violence against Black women and girls. [Read Now ⟶](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/news-beat-wins-best-podcast-2021-new-york-press-club-journalism-awards) [![](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/hubfs/TWISJ-Wide.jpg)](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/exxon-environmental-lies-haiti-assassinations) ### [This Week in Social Justice: ExxonMobil vs. The Environment & Haiti's Past, Present & Future](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/exxon-environmental-lies-haiti-assassinations) July 13, 2021 [civil liberties](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/topic/civil-liberties) 'This Week in Social Justice' unravels ExxonMobil's environmentally devastating propaganda, and Haiti's long and brutal relationship with U.S. imperialism. [Read Now ⟶](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/exxon-environmental-lies-haiti-assassinations) [![](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/hubfs/TWISJ%20Square%20(2).jpg)](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/climate-change-lethal-impact-minority-communities-indigenous-death-schools) ### [This Week in Social Justice: Indigenous Death Schools & Climate Change's Lethal Impact on Minority Communities](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/climate-change-lethal-impact-minority-communities-indigenous-death-schools) July 04, 2021 [civil liberties](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/topic/civil-liberties) 'This Week in Social Justice' tackles Canada's genocidal Indigenous schools and climate change's lethal and disproportionate impact on communities of color. [Read Now ⟶](https://www.usnewsbeat.com/blog/climate-change-lethal-impact-minority-communities-indigenous-death-schools) ### Never Miss an Episode! No spam here! Get notified when our next episode drops. 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