Student loans were supposed to be my ladder out of poverty. Instead, they are an anchor. I did not have a stable or secure childhood, but thankfully, my parents emphasized the importance of education. At 20, I left home, determined to build a stable future. I moved from the Catskills to Brooklyn and into an apartment I shared with six other women. I quickly found a full-time job . Using Pell Grants and scholarships, I attended community college four nights a week and Sunday mornings while