Middle Georgia’s Black business community to come together for annual expo

Middle Georgia’s African American entrepreneurial and professional community will gather for the second annual Black Business & Community Expo Sept. 21 at Macon Coliseum.

Hosted by the Central Georgia Coalition of Black Businesses and the Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages, the free expo will give folks the opportunity to attend educational breakout sessions and discussion panels, shop from a marketplace of more than 100 vendors and enjoy live performances. Some sessions will focus specifically on youth, mental health and the rise of artificial intelligence.

The expo will include a lineup of special guests, such as elected officials, personal finance expert Ash “Cash” Exantus, Marsau Scott and Latisha Scott from “Love & Marriage Huntsville,” trap artist and star of “Ready to Love” on OWN Jimmy Jones and recording artist Pastor Troy. There will also be giveaways and an award ceremony.

For 15 years, Alex Habersham, founder of both the Black Pages and the Coalition of Black Businesses, hosted a smaller-scale expo, but the collaboration between Black Pages and the coalition came about in an effort to reach a broader audience.

Last year more than 1,000 people attended the expo, Habersham told The Melody, and this year he expects an even larger turnout.

The theme, “Together We Rise,” is meant to embody the expo’s purpose of empowering and uplifting the Middle Georgia community socially, economically and educationally. This aim of benefiting everyone is a part of Habersham’s philosophy: “A rising tide raises the whole ship.”

“Oftentimes people say there is nothing going on in Macon. So we want to dispel that concept by providing a meaningful activity, both from a social, economic and educational perspective,” he said.

The event will run all day Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Click here to get your free ticket.