Panel

Join us for the kick-off of our spring 2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series, "Inequality By Design: The Role of the U.S. Tax Code in Amplifying the Wealth Gap," on Tuesday, March 18 at 7:00 pm ET at The New School’s Starr Foundation Hall. This discussion will explore the false narratives that shape tax policy in the U.S., how the tax code creates and supports inequality, and provide a vision for how taxes can build an inclusive economy that supports a thriving democracy.

Presented by the Institute's Health and Political Economy Project (HPEP), this conversation will feature a public lecture from Acting Health Commissioner and Chief Medical Officer of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Dr. Michelle Morse, who will then join a panel with Darrick Hamilton, Jamila Michener, and Brian Smedley, moderated by Dr. Dave Chokshi. The discussion will explore the kinds of health investments and policies, power-building strategies, and narratives we need to see real change.

Join us on Tuesday, April 8 for the third event of our spring 2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series, "The Freedom Budget: From Civil Rights to Economic Rights." Featuring Nina Turner, Cori Bush, Tamieka Atkins, and Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, the discussion will examine the enduring relevance of the 1966 Freedom Budget for All Americans—which aimed to eradicate poverty by tackling issues such as unemployment, substandard wages, poor housing and inadequate access to health services and education—in addressing the growing challenges and inequities of our contemporary political economy.