On Friday Pharrell Williams announced to five NAACP youth leaders that he would pay off the entirety of their student loan debts, the reports NAACP.
The surprise left the young leaders speechless during an NAACP panel on the black student debt crisis at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington DC
(Image: NAACP)
Corresponding WJLAare the recipients Damius Davisa graduate of North Carolina A&T; Channing Hilla senior at Howard University; Robyn Hughesa junior at Southern University; Jamie Turner, graduate of Norfolk State University; and Devan Vilfrada senior at Florida A&M University.
WATCH: The moment 6 young @NAACP leaders find out #SomethingInTheWater is canceling all their student debt.
Can you now imagine if @POTUS has fulfilled its promise? pic.twitter.com/hroyopTbHi
— Jonah Bryson (@JonahLBryson) June 17, 2022
“Pharrell changed her life forever. That was a powerful moment. Now imagine if President Biden had made this a reality for every student debt holder in America,” the panel organizer said Wisdom ColeNAACP National Director for Youth and College.
He continued, “Student debt continues to plague the black community disproportionately, destroying opportunity for so many black people. It is time to close the racial wealth gap, it is time for President Biden to make good on his promise.”
Immediately after @Pharrell surprised young NAACP leaders by paying off ALL their student debt, someone asked, “What are you going to do now?”
One student tearfully replied, “I’m going to law school.”
That’s what it’s all about – opening up opportunities for the historically oppressed.
— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) June 17, 2022
The Biden administration granted another extension on the repayment pause for student loans at the beginning of April, last extension period on August 31, 2022; This means that billing will restart in September.
While the president has said he will not forego $50,000 in student loans, he is expected to reach a loan forgiveness resolution by the end of the summer.
“I’m not considering $50,000 in debt reduction,” said Biden In April. “But I’m looking closely at whether or not there’s going to be any more debt forgiveness right now, and I’ll have an answer on that in the next few weeks.”
Pharrell’s Something In the Water Festival started just hours after the NAACP panel there in DC and will wrap up tonight. Juneteenth Weekend Festival returned after a two-year hiatus due to COVID Anderson .Paak, SZA, Usher, Tyler, the Creator, and pusha-t, among other.