Why the Fight Over Taxes is Central to the Progressive Movement—and Why it’s Not Over
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Saturday, Aug. 4 2:00 PM (Eastern)
Ends: Saturday, Aug. 4 3:15 PM (Eastern)
We know the new tax law tilted the tax code further in favor of millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations. But the old tax code was already a key accelerant of the racial wealth gap—which the new tax law will widen even further. With the corporate tax benefits being passed to shareholders and not workers in the form of new jobs or higher wages, the economy is working hard for those at the top but leaving everyone else behind. Combined with cuts to federal programs proposed by Trump and his allies in Congress, the fight over taxes is far from over. We’ll recap lessons from last year’s tax fight and look ahead to reclaiming our power to shape a tax code that actually works for workers and their families.
Panelists
Nicole Gill
Nicole was the Executive Director of Tax March and Campaign Director of The Hub Project. Nicole spearheaded the grassroots effort that organized more than 200 tax day marches on April 15, 2017, the largest ever progressive day of action for a more fair tax code and just economy. She also led the Not One Penny campaign including hundreds of grassroots actions, paid media, rapid response, and ongoing public pressure that resulted in every Democratic member of Congress voting against the GOP tax bill.
Rakeen Mabud
Dr. Rakeen Mabud is the Chief Economist and Managing Director of Policy and Research at the Groundwork Collaborative. A nationally respected policy expert, Rakeen is a leading thinker on the economy with a unique ability to communicate complex economic concepts in an accessible way. She played a key role in Groundwork’s pioneering effort to expose the role of corporate profiteering in inflation and serves as a leading policy expert and spokesperson on how economic trends impact people’s everyday lives, with a particular attention to structural disparities by race and gender.
Rakeen frequently testifies before Congress to help lawmakers understand how workers and small businesses are experiencing disruptions like inflation and the pandemic. In addition, she is a core member of Groundwork’s executive team, helping guide the organization’s strategy and managing its policy and research portfolio. She also serves as a board member for the National Employment Law Project (NELP).
Rakeen’s work is regularly published in many of the most prominent publications in the nation, and her views on how to ensure the economy works for all have been quoted in The New York Times, Washington Post, and NPR, among others. She is also a frequent commentator on TV, appearing on outlets including NBC Nightly News and Yahoo Finance.
Prior to joining Groundwork, Rakeen developed deep experience in economics and policy as a Special Assistant in the Office of Economic Policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, serving as a Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, leading the research portfolio at Time’s Up Foundation, and conducting research at Harvard Business School. She holds a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University, and a B.A. from Wellesley College in Economics & Political Science.
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Delvone Michael
Delvone is a Sr. Political Strategist and the Executive Director of DC Working Families. A Bernie Sanders campaign alumnus and the architect of DC for $15, Delvone is an experienced organizer with a history of advocating for economic justice. His skill in bringing people together to build a society that works and listens to everyone will be invaluable to our discussion, as we seek to plot a path forward once progressives have retaken power.