Merry Green is the founder, creator and executive producer of the Black Women’s Expo. She has been doing this for 20 years. Asked when will she stop; she comments that as long there is a need, she will continue the expo for the community.
What is your role with the Expo?
I created this idea for the radio station in 1993. This is the 20th Anniversary for the Black Women’a Expo. I was the promotional director at V103 at that time and wanted to do something to target our audience which was 60 percent female and 40 percent male. We wanted to focus the expo around some of the issues that we were hearing from our listening audience that they were facing in our community. We focus our expo around seminars and workshops and bringing in local and national speakers to talk about those issues. We, of course, have entertainment on the main stage and the exhibit displays from local small businesses, vendors, and our corporate sponsors. This started 20 years ago and we discussed health and wellness, parenting, careers, relationships, jobs, violence in our community, and entrepreneurship.
How has the expo grown over the years?
Last year we had more than 27,000 [attend] over the three days of the event.
Are the attendees from the Chicagoland area only?
As we reviewed our surveys we get people from all over; Ohio, Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis. People from Chicago have friends and families from these areas and they attend the expo. Attendees include the unemployed, underemployed, [to the] corporate of all ages.
What do you want the attendees to take away from the expo?
This being the twentieth year, they will take away the commemorative guide; [that knowledge that] you can start small, but what you are doing can grow, and [how] to be consistent with what you are doing. They will have speakers that are inspirational and empowering women to give advice to the audience on many subjects. In the past three years, more men are attending; so on Saturday, it be a special forum “Looking at the Man in the Mirror.” These brothers have gotten together to ask the men to take a look at themselves. If we can have a black president, why are we still moaning and groaning about some of things we are facing? We have to take it on ourselves to help [stop] the assault on black men and boys, to [improve] health getting them to go to doctor, and [improve] relationships with their family and the women in their lives. The expo has become a resource in the community. People are getting more involved and able to afford the booths; being a part of seminars.
Who are some of the talent that will attend?
On the main stage Saturday; Robin Roberts, anchor from “Good Morning America” will be the keynote speaker. Some of the other speakers and performers will be Kim Whitley, Dennis Kimbro, Laz Alonso, Erica Campbell of Mary Mary will be performing and many more.
