Occupy activists are moving debt from the personal to the political.

On April 25, Occupy activists marked "1 T Day": the day US student debt burden reached the massive milestone of $1 trillion. Those not struggling with student loans may be struggling under healthcare debt or massive mortgages. As Occupy evolves from a short-term protest to a long-term movement, some activists see debt becoming the new "tie that binds the 99 percent." In the build-up to Occupy’s first anniversary, journalist and documentary filmmaker Astra Taylor joined Nation editor Betsy Reed to ask the question: if we’re all facing massive debt, why are we still so ashamed of it?

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—Christie Thompson