Roundtable Convenes Dozens of Community Members, Union Leaders, Advocates and Local Elected Officials to Discuss Local Debt and Affordability Crisis in Orlando

May 28, 2026 | WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, May 28th at 10:00 am ET, Representative Maxwell Frost joined Central Florida Jobs with Justice and Protect Borrowers to host a roundtable event to hear from affected workers, advocates, and local leaders on how the growing affordability crisis is driving families further into debt and the American Dream further out of reach. 

View a fact sheet on debt in Orlando.

For too many Floridians, the American Dream of homeownership is impossible to achieve. Instead, Floridians are drowning in an unprecedented debt crisis—from credit card debt, utility and medical debt, to student and auto loan debt. Instead of getting ahead, millions of Americans are struggling to keep their heads above water. The affordability and debt crisis is particularly magnified in communities across Orlando. 

“From housing to groceries to gas, the basics Americans rely on are becoming increasingly unaffordable, as the American Dream of homeownership slips away while corporations rake in record profits. The affordability crisis is one of the most urgent fights facing working families today, which is why I’m proud to work with Central Florida Jobs with Justice and Protect Borrowers to push for bold solutions that center working people and help families not just get by, but get ahead,” said Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost.

Sam Delgado, Programs Manager with Central Florida Jobs with Justice said, “Working people in Central Florida struggle every day to contend with the skyrocketing cost of living. Between our state government’s efforts to curtail workers’ rights to organize, and the rising costs of rent and insurance on our cars, our homes, and our bodies, workers have been forced to take on debt to stay above water. Our campaign in 2024 to get Orange County to eliminate medical debt for over 350,000 of our neighbors in Orange County was fought to lighten this burden in a way that had a meaningful impact—by clearing one of the many financial burdens our community is faced with. We welcome our allies and Congressman Frost here for this discussion to discuss those struggles and what we think is required for our communities to overcome more of them.”

“For too many working families, homeownership is completely unattainable due to the crushing amount of household debt families must take on to make ends meet. Credit card, auto, utility, and student debt—to name just a few—make it impossible for working people to get ahead. We’re grateful to Representative Frost and Central Florida Jobs with Justice for having this conversation at such an apt time, given the affordability crisis sweeping the country,” said Aissa Canchola Bañez, Protect Borrowers’ Policy Director.

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About Central Florida Jobs with Justice

Central Florida Jobs with Justice is a coalition of community, labor, faith, and youth organizations in addition to individual activists taking action on pro-worker fights. The organization has formally been chartered as part of the National Jobs with Justice network since 2008, initially starting as a volunteer coalition, over the last 15+ years CFJWJ has grown campaign capacity by organizing money and bringing on staff. We bring together organizations and individual activists around various campaigns, making sure to center workers in fights that impact them.

About Protect Borrowers

Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn’t limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.

Learn more at protectborrowers.org or follow us on social @BorrowerJustice.