Live Panel - Zoom
Scheduled:
July 26, 2021
4:00 PM EST

Zoom Link (click on the title of the panel below to go to the live panel):
https://filmfestivalflix.com/zoom-meetings/student-debt-crisis/

The panel discussion with filmmaker and cast offers an informative discussion of leading voices of diverse affiliations (GOP, DEM, Green, Independent) seeking to unravel the nation's largest consumer debt of $1.7 Trillion in student loans. Discussion topics to include: challenges and ongoing efforts facing whistleblowers; filmmaker's journey to distribution, building community and strategy to return fair lending laws and consumer protections in an otherwise predatory lending system that has no brakes; the need for media to cover topic beyond the issue of whether to "cancel student loan debt." SALLIE MAE NOT is chapter One in the untold story of how the US Government set up a system of greed that gutted student loans of consumer protections leading to the skyrocketing cost of tuition and indenturing millions through predatory lending. Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi discovers Alan Collinge, author of The Student Loan Scam, a dedicated stalwart who turns from scientist to activist when he is wrongfully thrown into default by Sallie Mae. In 2006 on 60 Minutes, Collinge warned how this same scheme continued to throw millions of students, parents, and colleges over the cliff. Unfortunately, no one paid much attention, and despite today’s headlines of privilege, scandal, greed and blame, the predatory lending system designed to indenture millions, predominantly women and people of color, remains hiding in plain sight.

Panelists:
‍Michael McCray (Moderator)
Alan Collinge author, The Student Loan Scam published by Beacon Press, founder StudentLoanJustice.org
Catherine A. Fitts – Former Sallie Mae Board Member.
Solari Report Jon Oberg – NYT whistleblower on Department of Education lenders.
Mike Camoin, filmmaker, Sallie Mae Not