Search Demos.org

Demos Looks Ahead to Critical Floor Debate

The idea of canceling student debt has become a topic of considerable debate. Here's what you need to know about the Warren and Sanders student debt plans and what still needs to be answered.

Why we've organized an event series for black and brown millennials.

We at Demos are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Héctor Figueroa, president of SEIU 32BJ, Demos board member and linchpin of the New York labor movement.

“We don’t love where [the bill has] landed but we’re happy that we landed where we are."

“There was an assumption that the student debt problem was concentrated among those at for-profit colleges or predatory programs. Or it was seen as a problem with repayment and not necessarily with debt itself. That has shifted over the last couple of years.”

New York, NY — Demos, a national research and policy center, is pleased to announce the addition of two new members of its fellows program who are also developing new books under the Demos Books Project:

"White families who did not graduate from high school have the same level of wealth as a black family with a college education. All this has led to a system where black families in particular, but also Latinas, have less wealth to face the challenges when it comes to paying off that debt."

This racial disparity is the product of centuries of policies that intentionally excluded and oppressed African Americans.

"The ability to pay off your loans has everything to do with wages and the ability to gain secure employment, it has everything to do with housing affordability, it has everything to do with child-care costs."

Eliminating all student debt, per Sanders' plan, would increase the wealth gap between white and black households, according to one 2015 study co-authored by left-leaning think tank Demos.

“Not only are students of color more likely to borrow more for a degree, and borrow in higher amounts for the same degree, but they’re more likely to struggle to repay student loans than white students."

“The gauntlet has been laid. It also reminds us that public policy really does have a role to play. We should take a hard look at why this was needed in the first place.”

”For far too long, Black voters in this country have been marginalized, misrepresented, and taken for granted in electoral politics."

A new report from the left-leaning think tank Demos argues that looking at borrowers' income alone provides limited insight into student loan burdens.

Turnout Increases of 4.3 Percent Likely Under Current Proposed Legislation

Annapolis, MD — In the historic 2008 presidential election, Maryland ranked 12th among states in voter participation by eligible residents. Voter participation in Maryland could significantly increase if the state passes Same Day Registration (SDR) into law, according to a new report published today by Demos and released in collaboration with ACLU of Maryland.

“This is a problem that has not gone away but has gotten worse in many communities."

“The equity components are the pieces that appear to have been weakened the most."