Each month we’ll be taking a closer look at the people who make up the 2013 BALLE Local Economy Fellowship and sharing insight into what makes them tick, what inspires them to do this work, and why we think they are among the rising stars in Localism.
Welcome Sarah Bishop from Buffalo, New York, our February Featured Fellow of the Month. As well as being a BALLE Fellow, Sarah is leading the local planning for the BALLE Conference in Buffalo, June 12-14, 2013.
Help us welcome Sarah by joining us for an Instagram Live Feed on March 1 at 10:00 am PST. Sarah has been compiling some of her favorite Localist images from around Buffalo and is going to share them with us in real time and offer commentary on each one.
Sarah’s passion for Buffalo and Buffalo First!, is more than a job, it’s her calling. In her words:
“Buffalo First! exemplifies that the toughest socio-economic barriers can be overcome by a common denominator, Localism. We are reaffirming the commitment to the spirit of collective entrepreneurship envisioned by great Black statesmen such as Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and other progressive leaders that keenly understood that a thriving local economy was synonymous with a self-determined one. We are proud to be the example of Rust Belt Localism, and to dispel the myth that localism is merely a trend or a belief held, reserved for, and/or executed by a certain class/race of people.”
What will BALLE Conference-goers experience in Buffalo?
Sarah says that Localism is engrained in the culture. As the third poorest city in the country, corporations overlooked Buffalo, instead seeking more lucrative markets. The upside, of course, is that Buffalo is one of the few cities today that is full of locally owned and independent businesses. And, Buffalonians are proud of that fact. They take a great pride in finding and frequenting locally owned businesses. You will be hard-pressed to find a Buffalonian that prefers a national chain to their neighborhood independent store.
Why Localism Matters:
Sarah sees the grassroots movement as one that happens neighbor by neighbor, person by person. While the outside world sees a huge collection of “Buffalonians” the people who live there are compelled by individual dreams, talents, and character traits.
Why Place Matters:
“I feel really drawn to this place and I want to invest in it. I grew up here and despite thinking that I would be on the first train out when I could, I now find myself compelled to stay here.”
Aha Moment:
“When my partner Brooke accepted a scholarship to pursue her Master's Degree at The Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies at New York University in New York, I was thrilled – and also realized something pivotal, for me it was a turning point: I didn’t want to leave, and decided I could not leave, Buffalo. “
Being able to see the needle move towards a more socially just society, to know that these stories have a ripple effect, and that an impact is being made is what keeps Sarah going.
Her hobbies outside of her work might not look like hobbies at all, but she says ‘once an organizer, always an organizer’ and feels duty-bound to volunteer with other nonprofits that need her skills and experience. She sums it up by saying: “I like to put my network back to use!” Spending more time outdoors in the Adirondacks and hiking and traveling outside of the city are also giving her a chance to hone her skills as an amateur photographer – so it comes as no surprise that the most used app on her phone is Instagram.
Sarah’s goals for the Local Economy Fellowship:
“To continue to fight for an economy that benefits people, the planet, and builds true prosperity. To continue to build the infrastructure necessary to create a self-sustaining and perpetuating movement, built on systems that are life enriching, truly democratic, and aligned with our most sacred values. In the next five to ten years, I hope that this community continues to redefine “the big picture” to reflect the expansiveness and creative nature of the new economy movement. With that said, what can’t we achieve?”
