MyDebtStory.com

EARN cares deeply about preserving the promise of education for everyone, so we believe student debt should lead to opportunities for future economic success – not stand in the way of success. In 2011, we launched a contest website called MyDebtStory.com in partnership with Demos, Krotala Films, and Equal Justice Works. Our goal was to make sure that student voices are part of the debate on the role of higher education in achieving the American Dream.

The contest awarded a $5,000 prize for the most moving video submission to MyDebtStory.com. Without further ado, here is the winning video:

Selecting a winner was a tough process, as we received many powerful testimonies from student borrowers struggling to pay off their loans. You can watch some of them on our playlist below.

The ultimate goal of MyDebtStory.com was to ensure that student borrowers' voices were heard — and they definitely were! MyDebtStory.com was featured in numerous news outlets, from the Huffington Post to US News & World Report. 

But the conversation didn't stop there. Thousands of visitors watched the videos, read the stories, and pledged to help student borrowers join in the national conversation on education debt. To those who participated in our MyDebtStory.com project, thank you. We lit a spark... you fanned it into a flame.