(Photo By: Charlie Smith / CS3 MEDIA NEWS)
Story By: Charita Smith | CS3 MEDIA NEWS | April 17, 2019
CHICAGO (CS3 Media News) The Black Women’s Expo celebrated 25 years of being committed to empowerment, engagement, and black women excellence. The Black Women’s Expo was started in Chicago and has expanded to the Atlanta and Dallas markets. In its 25th year, the Black Women’s Expo continued the tradition of having informative seminars, pavilions, workshops, health screenings, an exhibitor marketplace, and entertainment. Creator and founder of The Black Women’s Expo, Merry Green said, “In all of my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined this 25-year journey! What the Black Women’s Expo has become, what it means to Black women, to our community, at times even amazes me! To be able to continue for so long and in this fashion is a blessing!” . Over the years, many notable celebrities, politicians, healthcare and legal professionals, authors, and speakers have attended the expo.
With three days of fun, information, and entertainment, this year’s The Black Women’s Expo ran from April 12th through April 14th. The expo opened with black women excellence as Chicago Mayor-Elect Lori Lightfoot attended the expo’s ribbon cutting on Friday morning. This year BET network’s BET Her was the title sponsor for the expo. BET Her had a pavilion on the expo’s main floor with giveaways, a photo booth, and music. BET Her also presented Being Mary Jane: Clips and Conversation and an exclusive showing of the new drama “Games People Play”. The BET Her addition to this year’s expo was a highlight of the show.
The workshops and seminars were very empowering and focused on the media, relationships, health, legal, financial and other topics. The panelists for the seminars included industry experts and leaders from various fields. The “Ask the Twin Doctors” health seminar was very informative. Doctors Brandi Jackson, Brittani Jackson, Jamil Abdul-Rahman, and Idries Abdul-Rahman talked about nutrition, chronic diseases, mental health and preventative measures. Cook County Health Systems presented a “Stroke Prevention and Recognition” seminar and a Men’s Health Roundtable seminar to ensure that the men remain healthy for the betterment of their families.
“Chicago Black Women in Media” was another valuable seminar. This seminar showcased a panel of media professionals from radio and television. They talked about how they started their careers, challenges they faced, and how their faith enabled them to continue to be successful in the media industry. The “Increase Your Profits with Tax Savings Strategies” seminar highlighted the importance of business ownership and opportunities as a result of the changes in the tax law.
Some entertainment highlights on the main stage included musical performances by Eva Ruwe, Glenn Jones, J. Brown, Anita Wilson, Leela James, and Eric Benet. Other entertainment highlights included an excerpt from the play, “My Vagina, My Choice”, the “Dripping in Taste” fashion show, a piano rendition by Classical Pianist, Megan Stokes, and a conversation with Hollywood Producer, DeVon Franklin.
The main floor included the “SHHH! Lounge, BET Her Pavilion, Recruitment Pavillion, Food Pavilion, Beauty Boutique, Kids Corner and an exhibitor marketplace that showcased many products and services from various businesses. The Black Women’s Expo had something for everybody. Even though it snowed on the final day, The 25th annual Black Women’s Expo was well attended and empowering. If you missed BWe Chicago, BWe Atlanta will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on September 14-15, 2019. For more information please visit www.theblackwomensexpo.com. #SheMatters
