They told us education was the key. They told us if we studied hard, graduated, and played by the rules, we’d succeed. But in 2025, far too many Black college graduates are waking up to a brutal truth: the system is still rigged — and excellence isn’t enough.
Black students are more likely to borrow for college and graduate with $25,000 more in student debt than white peers, according to the Brookings Institution. And four years after earning a degree, nearly half owe more than they initially borrowed. Meanwhile, Black graduates ages 22–27 face an unemployment rate of 10.6%, almost double that of their white counterparts.
And let’s not forget the silent crisis: we were never taught how to build wealth. No courses on taxes, credit, side hustles, investing, or ownership. Just theory and outdated job-seeking advice — in a world that values connections, capital, and tech skills over credentials.
It’s not just unfair. It’s economic sabotage.
But here’s what must change:
Make financial literacy and entrepreneurship mandatory in high school and college — especially at HBCUs.
Cancel or reduce student debt for graduates from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Create pipeline programs with paid internships, job placement, and mentorship — not empty diversity promises.
Hold corporations accountable for racial hiring gaps, and demand transparency in pay and promotion data.
Black excellence isn’t the problem — the system is. Until we teach our youth how to make a living, not just earn a degree, we’ll keep dressing for success with nowhere to go.
It’s time to rewrite the rules — and this time, make them work for us.
