The fact that student debt continues to soar is troubling enough. Now there is clear evidence that it also deepens the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
The debt-free college initiative is based on a plan sketched out by liberal think tank Demos. It calls for the federal government to award grants to states that increase spending on higher education and increase need-based grant aid.
"We're at a really interesting and troubling point where student debt has become sort of normalized," Mark Huelsman, a senior policy analyst at the think tank Demos, told Mic. "Tuition used to be low enough and grant aid used to be high enough that total cost of attendance at higher university was manageable with a summer job."
When governments use the power of the purse to create good jobs, workers, families, and communities benefit. Strong labor standards raise wages, improve job quality, and expand economic stability—helping build a more equitable economy for all.
Public banks keep public money working for the public. By giving communities control over how public dollars are invested, public banks can reduce costs, expand access to capital, strengthen local economies, and build long-term economic and political power for Black and brown communities.
When we tax extreme wealth and invest the revenue in public goods, we can reduce the racial wealth divide, foster economic security, strengthen democracy, and build a more prosperous economy for everyone.
Universal child care is a win for everyone, supporting economic well-being for families and children, as well as better working conditions for care workers. By investing in care today, we create generational opportunity.
A policy agenda for building a just, inclusive multiracial democracy and economy where everyone has the power to shape the rules that govern their lives.
In 2025, New Mexico became the first state in the country to implement universal child care—a historic milestone that shows what is possible when movements build power over the long term.
