NEW YORK CITY, NY—On Saturday, October 24, Marguerite Casey Foundation, an official sponsor of the New Yorker Festival, brought together acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates, civil rights scholar Michelle Alexander, and Palestinian organizer Mahmoud Khalil for a wide-ranging conversation about freedom, racial justice, and resistance. The discussion was moderated by Marguerite Casey Foundation president and CEO Carmen Rojas.

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“Few understand the necessary struggle for freedom better than Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michelle Alexander, and Mahmoud Khalil,” Rojas said. “This discussion was a powerful reminder that when dissent is criminalized and fundamental freedoms are under attack, it is more important than ever to invest in the power of organized people to transform our world. At Marguerite Casey Foundation, we’re proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the leaders and organizations advancing a more just and free future for all of us.”

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Titled “A Conversation on the Politics of Freedom,” the panel examined what freedom demands in 2026 and the lessons history offers for present-day struggles for justice. The panel came just days after Khalil asked the Supreme Court to hear his case, which has become a flashpoint in the national debate over free speech, immigration, and state repression.

“It is a very expensive and dangerous fight ahead. . . But I’m doing it because this is way bigger than me. This administration targeted me to make an example out of me, so that your speech would be chilled. . . We have to do the right thing at a time when all of our basic rights are under threat,” Khalil shared.

Saturday’s event reflects Marguerite Casey Foundation's longstanding commitment to supporting scholars, initiatives, and grassroots organizations working to challenge injustice and transform government so it works to ensure everyone has all they need to live a good life. Panelists shared their views on the role of the state.

“I think one of the worst things that probably has happened to American democracy is both parties adopting a message that government and the state really aren't good for anything. . . that, in fact, they can't provide public schooling for you, or good food, or affordable housing,” Coates said. “This has been a complete and total catastrophe. And so I think there has to be some movement. We can do good things together, and that idea has to have a rebirth nationally.” 

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“At its best, democracy is us choosing freely who will represent us and make decisions on our behalf as we care for one another,” Alexander said. “At its worst, it's genocidal. It's building prison walls and borders. It's incessant policing and surveillance. And we can choose—in the same way that a knife can be used to stab someone to death or chop vegetables and fruit to serve a delicious meal to feed families and communities—we can choose what we do with this thing we call the state and allow it to represent the best of us collectively or the worst.”

“Now it’s becoming that the state is only about control and power and abuse, when in reality the state should be about protecting and safeguarding our rights,” Khalil added. “Everyone here in the US tells you that you have these rights—that it’s a democracy. But I believe it is a democracy for some. It's a democracy for those who can afford it, a democracy for the rich. But for the people of color, the poor—these are just words on paper.”

Media interested in speaking with Carmen Rojas about the panel or MCF’s work should email Kristin Lynch at kristin@pinnaclecollective.co 

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About Marguerite Casey Foundation

Marguerite Casey Foundation supports organizations, leaders, scholars, and initiatives focused on shifting the balance of power in government—building power for communities that continue to be excluded from shaping how society works and from sharing in its rewards and freedoms. MCF board members, leadership, and staff are committed to building a just economy and fully realized democracy and to providing unfettered support to the bold strategies and leadership required to bring about major change in our lifetime. Earlier this year, the foundation announced a historic commitment to increase its grantmaking to $500 million over the next decade, a 50 percent increase above its average annual giving over the last ten years.

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