As a Roosevelt fellow, Portia Allen-Kyle will research tax policy and racial equity. Portia is a civil rights attorney and public policy expert with a track record of advancing equity across external programs and internal operations in nonprofit, government, and academic settings. She currently serves as the managing director at Color Of Change, a digital-first organization leveraging campaigns, organizing, and narrative pressure against government and corporations to act on racial justice and civil rights. In this capacity, she leads the organization’s strategic advocacy, including devising a robust strategy in support of IRS modernization, Direct File, and tax justice as a means to address the racial wealth gap for Black families. Previously, Portia served as a Biden-Harris administration appointee in the role of senior advisor for equity, policy, and stakeholder engagement in the Office of Civil Rights at the US Department of Transportation under Secretary Pete Buttigieg. For over 15 years Portia has spent her career advancing civil rights and civil liberties through a race equity lens by crafting innovative policy reports and solutions, building and supporting coalitions, and implementing legislative and stakeholder engagement strategies.