Open Public Livestream: July 24, 2025, 8 p.m. ET
States are restricting Super PACs, banning slavery and the death penalty, and imposing taxes on the mega-wealthy. How are people winning state-level victories, and how can your state do the same? Let’s ask those involved.
Dennis Febo is the National Lead Organizer for the Abolish Slavery National Network, a coalition working to remove the exception clause of the 13th Amendment and end legalized slavery in the United States. A Boricua organizer, educator, and abolitionist, Dennis has helped lead successful state-level campaigns, build coalitions across impacted communities, and advance national discourse around the intersection of justice, labor, and human rights. His work centers decolonization, transformative justice, and the creation of systems rooted in dignity and liberation for all.
Rob Poggenklass is Executive Director of Justice Forward Virginia, a public-defender led nonprofit that promotes criminal justice reform through smart, contemporary, evidence-informed policy advocacy. As executive director, Rob works with practitioners, lawmakers, and other advocates to enact criminal legal reforms at the General Assembly in Richmond. He has served as a legal aid lawyer in both Iowa and Virginia, and started his career as a public defender in Newport News. Rob has argued cases on behalf of indigent clients in both the Iowa Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Phineas Baxandall is the Policy Director at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center. He has a long history as a researcher deeply involved in improving policy, especially at the state level and in Massachusetts. In his nearly eight years at MassBudget, Dr. Baxandall has served in numerous leadership capacities. In September 2023, he was named the organization’s Interim President, before returning to his role as Policy Director the following year. His policy knowledge and advocacy acumen have been instrumental in the organization’s greatest achievements.
Anna Kellar is the Executive Director of Democracy Maine, a hybrid organization that brings together the League of Women Voters of Maine, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, and Maine Students Vote. Anna grew up in Maine before earning a BA in Political Science from Yale University and a Masters in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics. Their early career focused on democratic transitions and anti-corruption in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. At Democracy Maine, Anna has led successful legislative and ballot initiative campaigns to expand Ranked Choice Voting and small donor funding programs, pass the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, and modernize Maine’s election and voter registration systems.