The Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois is set to host its fourth annual Black Business Expo on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Carbondale Civic Center. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature 60 local vendors, including several SIU students.
According to the mission statement of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois, the organization is dedicated to offering essential resources, information, and support necessary for the growth and prosperity of Black businesses and communities in southern Illinois.
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Chastity Mays is the president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois. She is also the assistant director of A Gift of Love Charity Inc. and a certified birth doula, driven by her passion for empowering her community and supporting families through education and resources.
“We are a member organization with a diverse range of businesses,” Mays said. “Many of our members operate without a brick-and-mortar location, so we create events like the Black Business Expo to connect the community with these entrepreneurs.”
Mays highlighted the chamber’s mission to support Black businesses, stating, “Our mission is to expand, uplift, educate and completely support Black businesses in Southern Illinois.” She shared a success story about Sarah Brunson, an SIU student who owns Sarah’s Sugary Treatz and has attended the Black Expo for three years. Mays explained that Brunson “obtained her cottage food license through the Black Chamber,” which has allowed her to become an approved caterer in the city of Carbondale.
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The Black Business Expo promises an engaging experience for attendees, showcasing a vibrant array of vendors and services.
“Upon entering, you’ll be greeted at a welcome table where you can grab a map to find your way to all the assigned business tables,” Mays said. “The hallway will be lined with a variety of vendors, offering an extensive selection from jewelry to homemade personal care items like body butters and oils. You’ll encounter hair care products, T-shirt vendors, and even doula services since I am a birth doula myself. The Small Business Development Center will have a table, along with candle makers and a nurse practitioner providing facial injections. And for those looking to satisfy their hunger, we’ll feature food vendors, including someone from Metropolis serving desserts, along with two other food vendors and possibly a food truck in the parking lot.”
In addition to Mays, Vice President Nancy Maxwell supports the Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois. A founding member, she also runs her business, “Prints R Us,” and contributes to the nonprofit Carbondale United.
Maxwell reflected on her inspiration for the Black Business Expo.
“I’m from Chicago originally, and we have black expos up there,” Maxwell said. “I can remember when I went to my first Black Expo and seeing Michael Jackson. I know I’m telling my age, but yeah, and so that was so exciting for me, not only because it was Michael, but just all the togetherness with Black people and sharing information and going to the tables and things. So I wanted to bring that atmosphere here to southern Illinois, where I live now. And so I came up with the idea to do the Black Expo. And so we’ve been doing it ever since.”
She further emphasized the importance of the event in her community, saying, “It’s a unique opportunity, not only to celebrate our history but to have an opportunity to sell products that we don’t get a chance to do otherwise. This really helps businesses out, and there have been several within the chamber that started out with a table at the Black Expo and now have a building. It’s exciting.”
Maxwell also shared how the expo aligns with Black History Month: “Because Black History Month is celebrating us as a people. It’s not a lot of places you can go and shop and find items that you’ll find there on Saturday. So it’s a celebration and an opportunity for you to shop within your own community with people who look and are like-minded like yourself.”
Additionally, Mays mentioned the upcoming 2025 Black Business Seminar Expo on Friday, Feb. 7, focusing on business start-up and legal advice.
“People always ask for information on how to start a website and maintain it, and we wanted to provide that knowledge,” she said. This seminar aims to offer insights for both aspiring and established business owners in the community.
This event will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs and business owners to gain valuable insights, develop skills, and network with peers in the community. The expo will take place in two sessions at the Carbondale Civic Center, with the morning session running from 8:15 a.m. to noon and the afternoon session from 12:45 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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