OUR Story
The Problem
There is no uniformed legislative policy agenda for arts and culture organizations and education organizations on a local level. These sectors often get less money during budget season which harms our communities in the long run.
At OUR Politico, we support and connect organizations with elected officials and community members so that they can understand the impact these organizations have on their communities. We also provide external advocacy services so that there can be collective power from constituents to influence change.
OUR is the anchor of the
organization’s services.
O - Oeuvre (a work of art, music, or literature)
U - Unity
R - Resources
OUR Focus
Established in 2022, OUR Politico is an advocacy firm for the people by the people. Anchored in the Ubuntu spirit, OUR Politico centers organizations and communities that have been historically marginalized and intentionally left out of the political process. OUR Politico believes in collectivism and mobilizing power to communities by providing advocacy training and workshops along with our traditional services. Rooted in leadership and service, OUR Politico eliminates our clients' access to the political process so that the people who have made the most impact in our communities get the reconciliation they deserve.
OUR Politico is open to all clients from various industries, however, we aim to strengthen policies centering the arts, arts education, and education around the country.
OUR Values
Collective Power - We believe that it takes collective, collaborative power to make change and impact in OUR communities and OUR city.
Disruption - We believe that the status quo is not beneficial to the people of our city and needs to be disrupted, dismantled, restructured, or created anew.
Humanity - We believe that ALL people should have access to the same resources and opportunities, and all people should be treated fairly. We treat one another as humans and believe in a just society.
Integrity - We believe in standing in and telling our truth.
Representation - We believe that representation for the arts, and education sectors are extremely important to the economic and cultural growth of OUR city.
OUR Founder
Dr. Quanice G. Floyd is a renaissance woman who wears many capes. Born and raised in NYC, she has spent 20 years in Washington, DC where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from Howard University and Kent State University respectively. Her passion for arts administration led her to pursue her second Master’s degree in Arts Management at American University. She has recently received her Doctor of Education in Education Policy from Drexel University.
Quanice is currently the executive director of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, a national arts service organization for community arts providers. She was previously the executive director at Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS) where she served as a registered lobbyist for the state of Maryland. In her work, she advocated for arts education access for all 900,000 students in the Maryland public school system. Quanice is well-versed in advocacy and organizing as she is a steering committee member for the D.O.P.E. Coalition, a grassroots initiative that uplifts and highlights arts and culture leaders of the global majority around the country. She is also a member of the Cultural Advocacy Group, Creative States Coalition, and the Arts Education Partnership’s Advisory Council. She is also the Co-Founder of the Arts Administrators of Color (AAC) Network, an organization committed to empowering artists and arts administrators by advocating for access, diversity, inclusion, and equity in the arts nationally. She has also been a public-school music educator, teaching elementary and middle school general music, chorus, band, and orchestra. As an educator, she served as a regional organizer for her local teacher’s union.
Quanice currently served as a commissioner for the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities, is a board member of Staten Island Arts, and a proud member of The Society, Incorporated. She is an alumna of Fractured Atlas’ Artist Campaign School, the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Leadership Institute (CAELI), ArtEquity’s Racial Facilitator Cohort, Diversity in Arts Leadership Program, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Music Educators and Arts Administrators Academy, 4.0 Schools’ Essentials Program, and the Arts Education Collaborative’s Leadership Academy. She was also on the planning committee for the SW Arts Fest, a neighborhood arts and culture festival in Washington, DC. Quanice was the Americans for the Arts’ American Express Emerging Leader Award, and the Advocate of the Year for the Coalition of African Americans in the Performing Arts.