​African American students are disproportionately impacted by poorly structured and operated student loan programs; being preyed on by poor quality higher education for-profit colleges and universities; and receive inadequate support for affordable, quality higher education. For all students of color, obtaining higher education can result in catastrophic debt. Currently, the amount of outstanding total student debt in America exceeds $1.5 trillion held mainly by middle- and lower-income students. This outstanding debt poses significant risk to the nation’s economic well-being, and without action, this problem will only worsen for African Americans.

A new BET News Special, set to air on Sunday, Sept. 15, will serve to “ring the alarm” on the student debt crisis specifically for African American students and call for potential solutions. The news special is hosted by political strategist and television pundit Angela Rye and will include notable panelists such as Rep. Bobby Scott, Chairman, House Education and Labor Committee and Rep. Ilhan Omar, co-sponsor with Sen. Bernie Sanders on a student loal cancellation bill currently in Congress.

Angela Rye is Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, a political advocacy firm in the nation's capital, and has an unwavering commitment to ensuring positive change in the political process. She is a CNN Political Commentator and NPR Political Analyst, and has been featured as an influential politico, lawyer, and advocate by several publications and TV networks such as BET, CNN, NBC, HBO, ABC, MSNBC and TV One.