What Exactly Is Project 2025, and Why Should You Care?

Project 2025 is a sweeping federal government plan largely crafted by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative think tanks. Their goal? To reshape government policies in ways that, unfortunately, undermine protections and gains made by Black Americans over generations. This includes plans to dismantle or severely weaken the U.S. Department of Education, erode civil rights laws protecting against discrimination, cut student loan forgiveness programs, and ramp up policing and incarceration with fewer checks and balances.

If this sounds like a harsh rollback to policies from the past, that’s because it is. Organizations like the NAACP and the Thurgood Marshall Institute have raised serious alarms, calling Project 2025 a “Christian nationalist ideology with a race-reversal agenda.” This isn’t smaller policy change; it’s a concerted effort to reverse the gains of racial justice—and it’s happening now.

The Key Threats Project 2025 Poses to Black Families

1. Rolling Back Civil Rights Protections

Civil rights legislation acts as the protective umbrella shielding Black families from systemic discrimination in workplaces, schools, and housing. Project 2025 seeks to rip apart this umbrella by rolling back laws that prohibit discrimination and dismantling programs focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Without these protections, systemic racism will go unchecked, making it harder for Black families to access fair employment, secure stable housing, and receive equitable treatment. Imagine telling your child that they face closed doors simply because of the color of their skin—this is the harsh reality Project 2025 threatens to enlarge.

2. Undermining Education Access and Safety

Schools should be safe havens for Black children to learn and grow. Instead, Project 2025 plans to dismantle the Department of Education’s authority, reducing accountability and oversight. It would weaken protections against discriminatory school discipline, resulting in increased expulsions disproportionately affecting Black students. Funding cuts targeted at public schools with higher numbers of minority and low-income students are also on the table. Meanwhile, bans on teaching critical race theory and honest lessons about racism threaten to erase vital conversations about history and inequality. These changes risk turning schools into punitive environments, exacerbating the school-to-prison pipeline that already disproportionately impacts Black youth.

3. Eliminating Student Loan Forgiveness

Student debt weighs heavily on Black students and families, often acting as a barrier to economic mobility. Project 2025 aims to cut income-based repayment plans and eliminate forgiveness programs designed to ease this burden, while promoting privatization of student loans that could lead to predatory lending practices. This threatens to trap Black students in cycles of debt, making higher education less accessible and the dream of upward mobility harder to attain. Parents and grandparents should be aware that these changes could impact the educational future of their children and grandchildren profoundly.

4. Increasing Discriminatory Practices in Schools and Justice

Project 2025 redefines discrimination narrowly, making it nearly impossible to prove systemic racism when discriminatory outcomes are unintentional. Federal oversight over police misconduct would dwindle, while more funding is funneled into punitive law enforcement strategies. Programs that offer alternatives to incarceration, such as restorative justice and community bailouts, face significant cuts. With Black communities already disproportionately affected by arrests and harsher sentencing, these shifts could deepen cycles of incarceration and injustice, threatening family stability and community wellbeing.

5. Threatening Black Political Power and Advocacy

Politics is power, and Project 2025 threatens to dilute Black political influence. By encouraging undercounts of Black populations in the Census, supporting voter suppression tactics, and backing candidates who do not prioritize racial equity, the plan undermines representation and the ability to advocate for the community’s needs. This means less political voice, fewer resources, and greater difficulty advancing policies that support Black families.

What Can Black Parents and Grandparents Do to Protect Their Families?

Though these challenges are formidable, history shows the strength of community and resilience. Here’s how you can take action:

1. Stay Informed and Educate Your Family

Knowledge is power. Follow credible organizations like the NAACP and Thurgood Marshall Institute to stay updated. Discuss these issues with your children and grandchildren, helping them understand the stakes and recognize threats to their rights.

2. Advocate and Mobilize

Make your voice heard by contacting local representatives, participating in school board meetings, town halls, and community forums. Register to vote and encourage family, neighbors, and friends to do the same—turnout matters.

3. Support Community Programs

Get involved with local nonprofits, churches, and advocacy groups fighting for Black students, families, and justice reform. Volunteering time and resources can bolster these frontline efforts.

Final Thoughts: Stay Vigilant and Stand Strong

Project 2025 is more than a policy proposal—it’s a direct challenge to the hard-won gains of Black families across education, civil rights, financial opportunity, and justice. The time to act is now. By staying informed, advocating relentlessly, and supporting one another, Black parents and grandparents can continue to protect their families and secure a just future.

Further Resources for Deepening Your Understanding

• NAACP Resources on Project 2025
• Thurgood Marshall Institute Report on Educational Threats
• Legal Defense Fund Analysis
• Civil Rights Education PDF