If student loan forgiveness and affirmative action are both struck down by the Supreme Court, it could send an ominous signal to millions of Americans that conservatives critics have succeeded in erecting more roadblocks to racial equality in America. The combined efforts to roll back two policies that disproportionately help Black students and other students of color are reflective of a larger backlash to racial progress in higher education, one that mirrors historical patterns of progress for marginalized groups. And these efforts haven't gone unnoticed, in particular, by student borrowers and young professionals of color who feel their chance at prosperity hangs in the balance.
