Led by Jeff Poulin, Amir Whitaker and Quanice Floyd, this sharing session unpacks how leaders can frame arts education as a fundamental civil and human right. The facilitators explore international frameworks, American public policy and two state-based examples so participants can learn how to craft policy and programmatic language to shift the paradigm in their state or community.
Presenter Bios
Jeff M. Poulin is an educator, non-profit administrator and social entrepreneur whose work is grounded in social justice that seeks transformative solutions to society’s greatest challenges. In 2019, he founded Creative Generation, working to inspire, connect and amplify the work of young creatives and those committed to cultivating their creative capabilities. His work is widely published, and he has presented at conferences and universities across the country and around the globe. Jeff currently teaches at several universities and consults with regional, national and global institutions.
Amir Whitaker is a policy attorney with the ACLU of Southern California. Prior to joining the ACLU, Amir represented students and incarcerated youth throughout Florida and Alabama for the Southern Poverty Law Center. Referred to as a “civil rights and education stalwart” by the Daytona Times, Amir has negotiated settlements and policy changes improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of children. He has worked as a researcher with the UCLA and has written for TIME Magazine and other publications. At the ACLU, Amir is responsible for legislation focused on education equity and funding. He is also the founder and director of Project Knucklehead.
Quanice G. Floyd is a renaissance woman who wears many capes. Born and raised in New York City, she has spent over a decade in Washington, D.C., 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, and she is currently a doctoral student at Drexel University. Quanice is the founder & director of the Arts Administrators of Color Network and the executive director of Arts Education in Maryland Schools.
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