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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T190000
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DTSTAMP:20250421T185751Z
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SUMMARY:2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series: The Poetry of Economics
DESCRIPTION:  \nJoin us at The New School’s Starr Foundation Hall on Tuesday\, April 15 as our 2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series continues with an intimate conversation featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning Mojave poet\, activist\, and educator Natalie Diaz and Institute Founding Director Darrick Hamilton on the poetry of economics\, with special remarks from The Rockefeller Foundation’s Chief Innovation Officer Zia Khan. \nTogether\, Diaz\, Hamilton\, and Khan will examine the relationship between art and capital while reflecting on the role of data and discourse in the movement for justice. \nSpeakers: \n\nNatalie Diaz\, Senior Fellow\, Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy; Poet; Activist\nDarrick Hamilton\, Founding Director\, Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy\nZia Khan\, Chief Innovation Officer\, The Rockefeller Foundation\n\nThis event is part of the 2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series\, which brings leading thinkers\, changemakers\, policymakers\, journalists\, and activists to The New School to present their perspectives and explore the intersections of race\, social stratification\, and political economy that inspire economic and racial justice.  \nRegister Now\n  \n\nPresented in partnership with the Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy and the Milano School of Policy\, Management\, and Environment at The New School. \n\nEVENT RECAP \nOn Power\, Poetry and Paradigms: A Dialogue for a Just Economy\nBy Madeline Neighly\, Senior Strategist and Researcher \nWe are living through a moment of transition\, a rupture that lays bare the fragility of our institutions. In moments of change comes opportunity. In this liminal space between what was and what can be\, we are tasked not simply with critique but with construction. The Poetry of Economics: Data\, Discourse and Justice brought together Pulitzer Prize-winning Mojave poet\, activist and educator Natalie Diaz\, Institute Founding Director Darrick Hamilton\, and The Rockefeller Foundation’s Chief Innovation Officer\, Zia Khan\, to explore the moral architecture of our economy and to elevate the cultural\, emotional\, and structural conditions necessary to build a more just and humane future. \nThe Need for a New Paradigm \nZia Khan\, reflecting on time the three shared at the Bellagio Center\, opened with the reflection that we are witnessing the collapse of old norms\, which presents both danger and opportunity. What we build next will depend on whether we are bold enough to center people\, not just as economic agents but as full human beings embedded in community\, culture\, and care. \nWhile the discipline of economics purports to be value-neutral\, devoid of emotion or ethics\, it is suffused with values. To bring economics in conversation with poetry\, which makes room for questions\, allows us to ask questions around justice\, to ask what are the values that suffuse our economy and for whom do they work? \nLove and Power: The Foundations of Justice \nHamilton brought the moral clarity of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King\, Jr. into the room with the quote\, “Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social\, political\, and economic change. What is needed is the realization that power without love is reckless and abusive\, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.” \nThis\, the speakers agreed\, is the crux of our moment. Love and power must walk together. At the Institute this is not just abstract\, it is our foundation\, guiding our work on ensuring that policy is both rigorous and rooted in human flourishing. \nDiaz carried this forward\, reminding us of the origins of our words. “Data\,” she shared\, once meant “to give.” It was an act of generosity not the extraction it so often is today. Similarly\, “power” once described what was possible\, keeping us on the precipice of possibility. These origins matter. They remind us that our current understanding of these words themselves\, and thus our thinking\, has been narrowed and weaponized. Poetry\, however\, offers a different way to live and to think\, one that returns these words to the body\, to community\, to care. \nThe Dangerous Story \nAs their dialogue continued\, Hamilton and Diaz explored the question of stories—how they’re told\, who gets to tell them\, and what power they hold. Diaz warned that today’s silencing\, much of it self-imposed from fear\, is a freeze not only of speech but of imagination. The most dangerous story\, she reminded us\, is the one that asks how we got here\, because it is the one connected to what we have left to do. \nHamilton confessed that he sometimes hides in the analytical language of economics because the stories of his community and his upbringing are painful. But those stories are the reasons he fights. Walking through his transformed neighborhood\, when he sees who is thriving and who is not\, he is aware that nothing is different about the people there before and those there today\, it is the conditions afforded them. This\, he notes\, gives you clarity and solution\, if conditions are changed then so will be outcomes.  \nDiaz read Etheridge Knight’s “Feeling Fucked Up\,” invoking the righteous anger and justifiable grief that fuel creative resistance. “We are allowed to be angry\,” she shared. “We should be angry.” It is dangerous not to find the language of anger. Anger\, like love\, can be a generative force. \nCuriosity as Resistance \nBoth Diaz and Hamilton critiqued orthodox economics’ lack of curiosity. It functions as a static definition of value imposed by those with the privilege to codify norms and the power to determine who counts. In this framework\, approaches rooted in lived experience\, community care\, and moral urgency are dismissed as subjective or sentimental.  \nBut the future demands a new lens. \nDiaz introduced the idea of the speculative as a necessary practice. We talk of the future as if it will simply arrive\, but justice demands we shape it. The speculative invites us to imagine conditions beyond the limitations of current policy. It demands we stay curious\, that we resist being diminished\, and that we hold space for beauty\, grief\, rage\, and joy. \nThe Work Ahead \nAt the core\, then\, is the question: what is economics for? \nIf economics is\, in fact\, the study of how we care for one another\, how we structure our collective lives\, then love must not be an afterthought. It must be central. Not only as a value\, but as a verb\, a design principle. Both an input and an output. \nIn this new future\, identity will have no transactional value\, no identity will be privileged above another. And\, our identities will continue to be our cosmologies\, the ways we dream. \nThe work ahead is clear. We must confront the hegemony of narrow metrics and usher in an economy rooted in love\, in justice\, and in truth. We must tell dangerous stories that refuse erasure and remember our past so that we can dream and imagine our future. Above all\, we must remain curious because\, as Khan noted\, on the other side of all these other sides is us.
URL:https://racepowerpolicy.org/event/2025-henry-cohen-lecture-series-poetry-economics/
LOCATION:Starr Foundation Hall\, 63 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10003\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event Series,In-Person,Lecture,Panel
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250408T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250408T210000
DTSTAMP:20250421T190401Z
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SUMMARY:2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series: The Freedom Budget
DESCRIPTION:  \nJoin us at The New School’s Starr Foundation Hall 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. Building upon this historical foundation\, the panel will explore how an updated vision integrating new policy ideas—such as Baby Bonds—can reignite the Freedom Budget in our present moment and achieve a new era of inclusive economic rights. \nSpeakers: \n\nNina Turner\, Senior Fellow\, Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy\nCori Bush\, Former Congresswoman\, MO 1st District\nTamieka Atkins\, CEO\, ProGeorgia\nAsh-Lee Woodard Henderson\, Organizer\, activist\, and movement strategist (moderator)\n\n  \nThis event is part of the 2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series\, which will bring leading thinkers\, changemakers\, policymakers\, journalists\, and activists to The New School to present their perspectives and explore the intersections of race\, social stratification\, and political economy that inspire economic and racial justice.  \nRegister Now\n  \n\nPresented in partnership with the Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy and the Milano School of Policy\, Management\, and Environment at The New School. \n\nEVENT RECAP \nWe were honored to host The Honorable Nina Turner\, The Honorable Cori Bush\, and Tamieka Atkins for an insightful panel discussion moderated by Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson. \nThe conversation explored the historical context of the 1966 Freedom Budget for All Americans\, proposed by A. Philip Randolph\, Bayard Rustin\, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It emphasized the urgent need to reclaim the civil rights movement’s broad vision of economic rights\, rooted in President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms.” \nThe panel examined how proposals from the original Freedom Budget—such as a job guarantee\, guaranteed income\, and universal healthcare—are too often disconnected from their origins in the civil rights movement. Looking forward\, the panelists shared utopian visions that could inform a contemporary Freedom Budget\, including new ideas such as baby bonds. \nThey also addressed key barriers to achieving economic justice\, including the pernicious influence of dark money and corporate interests in U.S. politics\, the weaponization of identity by neoliberal and neo-fascist agendas\, and the urgent need for infrastructure to support individuals and movements working for systemic change.
URL:https://racepowerpolicy.org/event/the-freedom-budget/
LOCATION:Starr Foundation Hall\, 63 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10003\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event Series,In-Person,Lecture,Panel
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250318T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250318T210000
DTSTAMP:20250326T185613Z
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SUMMARY:2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series: Inequality By Design
DESCRIPTION:  \nJoin 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.  \nFeaturing panelists Chuck Collins\, Morris Pearl\, Gabriela Sandoval\, and the Honorable Nina Turner\, along with excerpts from the documentary film “Death and Taxes” and fireside chat with filmmaker Justin Schein\, 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. \nSpeakers: \n\nChuck Collins\, Program Director\, Institute for Policy Studies\, Co-Editor\, Inequality.org\nMorris Pearl\, Chair\, Patriotic Millionaires; Former Managing Director\, BlackRock\nGabriela Sandoval\, Executive Director\, Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute\nJustin Schein\, Filmmaker\, “Death and Taxes”\nNina Turner\, Senior Fellow\, Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy (host)\n\n  \nThis event is part of the 2025 Henry Cohen Lecture Series\, which will bring leading thinkers\, changemakers\, policymakers\, journalists\, and activists to The New School to present their perspectives and explore the intersections of race\, social stratification\, and political economy that inspire economic and racial justice.  \nRegister Now\n  \n\nPresented in partnership with the Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy and the Milano School of Policy\, Management\, and Environment at The New School. \n\nEVENT RECAP \nInherited Inequality: Unmasking the $100 Trillion Transfer and the Erosion of Democracy\nBy Madeline Neighly\, Senior Strategist and Researcher \nOver the next few decades\, older Americans are expected to transfer $100 trillion in wealth to their heirs. Much of this money has accrued without being subject to taxation and will pass untaxed\, further cementing wealth inequality in this country and eroding our democracy. On Tuesday\, March 18\, the Institute on Race\, Power and Political Economy hosted a discussion around death\, taxes\, and the public policies that have spread Inequality by Design. \nThe inaugural Henry Cohen Lecture of the season\, Inequality by Design used clips of the documentary DEATH & TAXES to explore the narratives and deeply-held beliefs that undergird an unjust tax system that perpetuates wealth disparities. The documentary\, centered on filmmaker Justin Schein’s exploration of his father’s relationship with wealth\, taxes\, and inheritance\, provided a poignant personal lens through which to examine broader societal trends. Paired with insightful commentary from host and Institute Senior Fellow Senator Nina Turner and panelists Gabriela Sandoval\, Chuck Collins\, and Morris Pearl\, the event delved into the complex interplay of tax policy\, societal narratives\, and the erosion of democratic ideals. \nA central theme that emerged was the deconstruction of the “self-made millionaire” myth. As the panel discussed\, the accumulation of vast fortunes is rarely\, if ever\, solely the result of individual effort. Instead\, it is inextricably linked to historical injustices\, systemic advantages\, and the compounding effects of inherited privilege. From the Homestead Act to redlining\, the GI Bill to the initial exclusion of domestic workers and laborers from Social Security\, governmental policies have helped to build wealth for White families while intentionally excluding Black and other families of color. \nIncreasing the value of these policies that provided wealth-building opportunity for White families is the tax system. While taxes are taken from our wages in each paycheck\, the value accrued to assets is taxed only at the moment of sale – and at a lower rate than that of labor. Combined with significant increases in the estate tax exemption\, now allowing individuals to pass nearly $14 million tax-free\, the tax system works for the benefit of the wealthy at the expense of working people and benefits a tiny fraction of the population\, effectively shielding vast fortunes from taxation. The lack of taxation on such massive wealth is exacerbated by the “step-up in basis” provision which essentially “resets” the value of assets to the fair market value upon the death of the asset holder\, allowing it to be transferred to their heirs with no accrued tax liability. Thus\, the heir likely pays no tax on receipt of the asset and when they sell that inherited asset they pay taxes only on the value increase from the moment of the prior owner’s date of death to the moment of the sale\, reducing capital gains tax burdens for inheritors. \nBoth the probability of inheritance and the amount received are stratified both by income\, which is itself racially stratified\, and by race. White households are twice as likely as Black households to receive an inheritance\, and inheritances to White families are associated with a $104\,000 increase in wealth while inheritances to Black households are only associated with a $4\,000 increase in wealth (Batchelder\, 2020). \nCompounded by time\, interest\, and the profound impact of inheritance\, these policies have resulted in a seemingly intractable wealth gap. As detailed in the Institute’s recent Color of Wealth in Chicago study\, the median White household had $210\,000 in wealth while the median Black household had $0 in wealth. \nBeyond the capture of wealth\, it is the capture of government and our public resources that is concerning. The small number of extremely wealthy individuals in this country wield outsized political power that is anti-democratic\, creating the ability to bend policies in their favor\, and is antithetical to a just and inclusive political economy. \nSupporting these unjust policies are racially-coded phrases like “taxpayers’ money” and “makers and takers” serve to divide and stigmatize\, often carrying racialized undertones. As the panelists explained\, tax credits and deductions\, which primarily benefit the wealthy\, are often portrayed as virtuous and economically productive\, while public benefits for the poor are stigmatized as wasteful and corrupting. This narrative obscures the reality that all members of society are subsidized\, whether through direct payments or indirect tax breaks. \nThe event concluded with a call for a more progressive tax system\, one that prioritizes equitable distribution of resources and invests in public goods and services that benefit everyone. Beyond increasing progressivity in the tax code and closing loopholes\, the Institute promotes policies to make the tax system work for everyone by ensuring no one lives in poverty in the U.S. and providing seed capital to youth to start life with wealth-building opportunity.  \nBuilding an inclusive economy requires that we shift the narrative from individual achievement to collective responsibility. A thriving democracy requires that everyone have the resources necessary to live a productive and thriving life.  \nThe impending $100 trillion wealth transfer presents a critical juncture for American society. By dismantling the myths that perpetuate inequality and advocating for a more just and equitable tax system\, we can ensure that the legacy we leave for future generations is one of opportunity and prosperity for all\, not just a privileged few. As Schien noted\, “Inequality is damaging our democracy. It is important that we leave our children a democracy more than wealth.”
URL:https://racepowerpolicy.org/event/2025-hcls-inequality-by-design/
LOCATION:Starr Foundation Hall\, 63 5th Avenue\, New York\, NY\, 10003\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event Series,In-Person,Lecture,Panel
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