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Stacy Mitchell to Present Plenary at BEA on the New Localism Challenge: Bookseller Discussion Groups Follow
- By Dan Cullen
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Stacy Mitchell is a nationally recognized expert on small business and healthy local economies, and she is an influential leader in helping formulate innovative policies in support of indie businesses — and in communicating the indie story nationwide.
Booksellers attending BookExpo America are encouraged to join her for an insightful and inspiring plenary talk about New Localism — the evolution of localism from primarily a consumer movement to one that also includes policy development and political change.
Mitchell’s plenary talk “Meeting the New Localism Challenge: Protecting and Promoting Communities and Local Economies” is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00.a.m. in Room W183 at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center.
Immediately following Mitchell’s plenary, booksellers will have the opportunity to meet in groups based on store location to discuss themes raised by the New Localism plenary, and to exchange tips and best practices. (The regional designations are for room assignment purposes only; booksellers from those regions need not be members of that trade association to attend the breakout.)
A nationally recognized leader in the movement to counter the power of mega-retailers, Mitchell will highlight new goals during her talk and also will discuss the importance of formulating effective strategies and clearly framing public debate. Mitchell is co-director of the Institute of Local Self-Reliance, coordinator for Advocates for Independent Business, and the author of Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent Businesses (Beacon Press). She has written for a wide range of publications, including Businessweek, The Nation, and the Wall Street Journal.
Coming soon after the release of the new Civic Economics report commissioned by ABA on the negative effect Amazon has had on Main Street businesses, jobs, and communities, Mitchell’s talk and the following focused networking programming will be a unique opportunity for booksellers to learn more about the resources inherent in the New Localism movement, and to connect with regional colleagues.