Registration & Breakfast

Breakfast is available until 9:00 a.m.

Conference Welcome

Speakers: Teri Olle, Economic Security California

Fighting for Fairness: Opposing the 2025 Trump Tax Plan

The 2025 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reauthorization is looming, threatening to double down on policies that favor corporations and billionaires while leaving working families behind. This session will set the stage for what’s at stake in this fight, and explore effective strategies that connect California organizing with federal advocacy to push for a fairer tax bill—one that prioritizes working families and invests in a stronger, more equitable future. We’ll delve into how we can unite, organize, and fight back in California against tax policies that serve the wealthy at the expense of everyone else and fight for a tax system that works for all of us.

Facilitators:
Layla Oghabian and Mana Kharrazi, Economic Security Project

Preparing for THE Tax Fight: Making the Tax Code Fairer at the Top and the Bottom of the Income Ladder

Federal tax battles have a profound ripple effect on California, shaping our state’s revenue strategies, policies, and organizing opportunities and hear an update on the federal and state tax landscapes. We’ll then dive into structural issues in the tax system, and connect the dots between federal funding decisions and state revenue challenges and highlight risks and opportunities for critical cash programs like CalEITC and YCTC.  Our goal is to explore what a fairer approach could look like, and strategize on building a long-term movement for tax fairness and revenue-raising policies in our state.

Speakers:
Chris Hoene, California Budget & Policy Center
Sam Wilkinson, GRACE/End Child Poverty in California

15-minute break

Join the Fight to Keep IRS Direct File – Free, Simple, and Fair Taxes for All

Last year marked a game-changing moment: California became one of the first (12) states to pilot the IRS Direct File program, proving that filing taxes can be free, simple, and fair. This year the national plan is to advance it in 25 states. Unfortunately, the new administration plans to severely limit its (IRS’s) overall funding, including for Direct File. But we can fight against it happening.  We’ll strategize how California can organize to fight for Direct File, by increasing the number of Direct Filers and ensuring full integration saving millions for California families that need it most.

Speaker:
Mónica Lazo, Economic Security California

Lunch

Tax Talk – Crafting Winning Messages Together

The fight for fair taxes demands powerful messages, inspiring messengers, and bold tactics—and we need your voice in the mix! In this interactive, hands-on session, we’ll co-create creative messaging that connects with everyday people and sparks action. We’ll dive into creative and innovative messaging strategies, polling trends, and creative action plans to build momentum for the tax fight over the next two years.  You’ll hear from experts and community-based peers about how they’ve been involved in the tax fight and find your spot in this movement.  Whether it’s through social media, events, or in district meetings your voice and constituents are critical to helping win the long-term tax policy fight.  Come ready to connect, learn, and leave inspired to help us win a fairer tax system for all!

Facilitators:
Mónica Lazo, Economic Security California
Mana Kharrazi, Economic Security Project

Transition to Breakouts

Breakouts

Breakout 1: Action Planning for the 2025 Tax Fight
Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or new to advocacy, if you want to get into the details of how we’ll fight for tax fairness next year, this session is for you! We’ll reflect on lessons learned from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and dive deep into strategy including power mapping (a.k.a. figuring out who calls the shots and how to get them involved in our fight)—identifying key legislative targets, uncovering the best opportunities for advocacy, and organizing in priority districts and constituencies. We’ll brainstorm tactics such as leveraging social media, hosting district meetings, organizing lobby days, and planning creative events. 

We’ll strategize around how to expand our coalition and bring key constituencies like faith leaders, small businesses, labor groups, and more into our big tent and leave with a clear plan of action for our joint advocacy in 2025.

Facilitators:
Mónica Lazo, Economic Security California
Mana Kharrazi and Layla Oghabian, Economic Security Project

Breakout 2: Building a Winning Agenda for Tax Fairness in CA

Let’s face it: we’ve got serious challenges when it comes to tax fairness right here in California. With the incoming administration poised to make matters worse, we need clarity around what it will take to put tax fairness front and center in California’s cash policy agenda. Join us to do some collaborative power mapping, crafting messages that inspire action, and identifying critical opportunities like the 2026 governor’s race to platform our agenda for the next two years. We’ll brainstorm ways to connect critical state and federal tax work into a unified movement that resonates across California. Our goal is to leave with a clear vision that connects local and national tax fairness narrative efforts together, and actionable next steps!

Facilitators: Teri Olle and Mona Masri, Economic Security California

Break

Report Out: Turning Ideas into Action: Key Takeaways

We’ll come back and bring it all together, sharing key insights from the breakout sessions, including what we’ve learned, what gaps remain, and who we need to engage—including policymakers, allies, and target districts. 

Closing and Next Steps

We’ll review the final strategies and tactics that emerged as priorities and outline clear next steps to drive our collective work forward. This is the moment to align around a shared vision, energize our efforts, and leave with a roadmap for action that turns today’s ideas into tomorrow’s wins.

Teri Olle, Economic Security California

Reception (Courtyard)