ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Anchorage Museum was a happening place on Saturday afternoon as hundreds of people turned out for the 10th annual Alaska Black Business Expo.
According to event organizer Jasmin Smith, about 60 black-owned businesses from around Alaska signed up, making this year’s gathering the largest in the expo’s history.
Recalling her first expo, Smith said it was nothing more than a small gathering of entrepreneurs.
“I didn’t even have vendors,” Smith said.
Fast forward to Saturday, and vendors were out in full force. Businesses offered various services like red carpet pictures and weight loss programs; and sold products ranging from neckties, sweet treats, sunglasses, essential oils, 3D-printed knickknacks and even Tuskegee Airmen bomber jackets.
There were also state and federal agencies, as well as law groups and the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
“One of the best parts of that vision that Jasmin has is basically bringing us all together,” said Prnsis Bay, the owner and founder of Diamond VIP Services. “She dreamt about having a big expo like this when we started. It literally was about 10 or 12 of us in a room and we were just talking about what we wanted to do.”
Bay said her company has grown up alongside the expo, and now counts the Anchorage Concert Association as one of its clients.
“I have seen my red carpet service level up every single year, side-by-side with her at the Black Business Expo, at Juneteenth, at whatever event that I am fortunate to be a part of with her,” Bay said.
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