In commemoration of Black History Month, Columbia College hosted its second annual Black Business Expo on Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More than 20 business owners set up tables in Columbia College’s Southwell Complex. Most were from Columbia, and two came from Kansas City and St. Louis.
Micheal Lewis, the associate director of programs and partnerships for Columbia College, reached out to business owners through the organization’s website and social media accounts. He also said the city of Columbia publishes a list of minority businesses in the area, which he found helpful for the event.
Lewis said the popularity of business expos in the south inspired him to pitch the idea to Columbia College’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.
“It really showcases what types of businesses we have in the community,” Lewis said. “To see the amount of diversity and the amount of differences in each business and the types of services they provide, it’s really astonishing.”
Artists, chefs and specialty businesses were among those featured at the event.
Marissa Whitley-Tago owns the Whitley Company, an interior design company in Columbia.
“Events like this is what makes Columbia the town that it is," Whitley-Tago said. "It’s big and it’s small all in the same breath."
The diversity committee at Columbia College plans on organizing another black business expo in June to replace the event in February due to the unpredictable winter weather. Lewis said they’re considering hosting next year’s expo on “Juneteenth,” a day to celebrate the emancipation of slavery.