Racial Repair Task Force to introduce first recipient in student-debt repair program

The Racial Repair Task Force. Front row, from left: Marina Grant, chair, Natasha Lovelace, its first recipient. Back row, from left: Mark Chupp, Quentin Smith, Jeannine Gury, and Danielle Cosgrove. 

In April 2022, Forest Hill Church created a Racial Repair Task Force to explore tangible ways to address the legacy of systemic racism. After months of research, community dialogue and discussion, the task force proposed a direct strategy: provide substantial relief from student debt to Black college graduates burdened by loans.

On Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m., the church will introduce the first recipient of its Racial Educational Debt Repair Program at a public reception on Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m., at 3031 Monticello Blvd.

Community members are invited to attend. Seating is limited; to reserve a spot, visit fhc.breezechms.com/form/May15Reception or call 216-321-2660.

The church’s decision to establish the program was driven by findings showing that student debt often deepens the racial wealth gap. A Brookings Institution report noted that Black students disproportionately rely on loans to finance their education, yet still experience persistent income disparities compared to white graduates. As a result, college debt undermines the upward mobility of the Black middle class.

In choosing their path forward, church members heeded one key phrase: “The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.”

With that mindset, Forest Hill Church took its first bite—launching a program that will eliminate up to $75,000 in student loan debt for a Black female college graduate from Cleveland Heights. Following a careful application and review process, one recipient was selected.

In an era where efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion face increasing resistance, Forest Hill Church remains steadfast in its commitment to racial justice. Through its new initiative, the church seeks to live out the vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s “beloved community”—a society grounded in justice, equality, and love.

Believed to be the first program of its kind in Ohio—and possibly the nation—Forest Hill Church’s racial repair initiative aims to confront the economic harm historically endured by Black Americans by eliminating educational debt for selected recipients.