We will view a film of Judy Wicks, cofounder of The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), speaking at the 2007 Bioneers Conference.

This fabled entrepreneur and activist tells her story of going far beyond responsible business practices to working cooperatively with other entrepreneurs and citizens for the purpose of building vibrant local economies based on love of nature and community. Judy revolutionized her business practices and principles by maximizing relationships, not profits; being cooperation-based, not competition-based; creating local identity through music and art; promoting the growth of consciousness and creativity, not brands and market share; and so much more. Very inspirational!

Judy Wicks is the owner of Philadelphia's 25-year-old White Dog Cafe and co-founder of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). She is president of White Dog Community Enterprises, a non-profit dedicated to building a local living economy in the Philadelphia region. Judy has won numerous awards, including the 2005 James Beard Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year and the 2007 Philadelphia Sustainability Awards Life Time Achievement. She is currently writing a book about her business and the local living economy movement.

There will be time for group discussion about what we can do in Nevada County to create a local living economy with the participation of representatives from BALLE.