In honor of Black History Month, Hofstra University’s second annual Black Business Expo was held on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in the Student Center, where local black-owned businesses were able to advertise their products, promote their businesses and spread their messages.
A total of eight black-owned businesses from Queens and Nassau County attended the expo, held inside the Student Center Atrium, and covered all but two of the tables leading up to the Unispan. Providing a variety of different goods, students could browse and purchase items ranging from organic hair products and face lotions to fitness and training clothing.
The main goal for these businesses was not to sell their products – each owner had a unique message that they wanted to convey to the Hofstra community through mission statements shaped by the passions and experience of these entrepreneurs.
“Our mission is to build confidence of all women in different shapes and sizes,” said Javana Saldana, the owner of Snatched Snatchers.
Nicole Campbell, owner of Cori & Cole Wrist Rock, stressed the need “to empower women to go on and be entrepreneurs.” Campbell plans on establishing a nonprofit to raise awareness about her daughter, Chelsea Campbell’s, illness, sharing how she has dealt with and learned from it as a mother.
Many of the businesses at the expo expressed a message of empowerment for both women and people of color.
Groups of students crowded around these stands during the entire two-hour event to see what each of the business owners had to offer and listen to their messages. After visiting a few of the stands, Rosa Edwards, a freshman, has this to say about the Black Business Expo: “It gives a lot of people more opportunity to see business leaders who are more … representative of their community.”
Hosting the Black Business Expo is one way of many ways that Hofstra University gives back to the surrounding community. Ashe Davis was the lead coordinator for the event and works with Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion (IEI) in the Division of Student Affairs.
“Hosting this event at Hofstra shows our support for local black-owned businesses and allows for all to see that Hofstra acknowledges and celebrates Black History Month on this campus,” said Davis, a Hofstra graduate student in the Occupational Therapy Program. “The goal for the future of this tradition is to expand the expo to more local businesses and further connect Hofstra to the local community.”
“I think having the Black Business Expo is an unequivocal win-win for both the Hofstra community and the residents within our local municipalities,” said Gillian Atkinson. “Giving these phenomenal black entrepreneurs from our neighboring towns exposure inspires our future Hofstra moguls of what is possible. The event also reminds us all of the importance of supporting underrepresented populations who have historically not been championed in an equitable way.”
