SPOKANE, Wash. — The Carl Maxey Center hosted its ninth annual Sandy Williams Black Business Expo on Saturday, drawing Black-owned businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders together to celebrate entrepreneurship and build connections across Spokane.
The event filled the venue with tables from organizations like Take Up the Cause and SNAP Financial Access, alongside dozens of local vendors displaying their products. Booth displays ranged from handcrafted candles and specialty teas to colorful clothing and woven rugs, offering small business owners a platform to reach potential customers directly.
For many vendors, events like this one make a tangible difference in their bottom line. Kathy Trambitas, who owns Wild Roots Collective, credits the expo and similar community gatherings with fueling her business growth.
“I love that it shows unity. Like you said in a space where we don’t see us all come together a lot. Just showing the community that we do exist and also for me in particular, showing the community that herbalism is a part of this,” Trambitas said.
“I think that a majority of my business has grown because of events like these and um just word of mouth because I am a small business owner and I work a full-time job and I have lots of kids so I dont really get to promote myself like I would like to and so this absolutely has helped me,” Trambitas said.
The expo was founded in honor of Sandy Williams, whose contributions shaped Spokane’s Black community for years.
Event organizer Jillisa Winkler explained how Williams’ vision continues to drive the annual gathering.
“Sandy was a huge champion for black spokane and for economic development and so the two things just sort of merged together with this event and its something she did every year so we’re always glad to honor her,” Winkler said.
The Carl Maxey Center continues to use the annual event as a vehicle for empowering Black business owners and creating meaningful community connections that extend beyond a single day.
Event organizer Amos Atkinson Jr. expressed satisfaction with Saturday’s turnout and indicated plans to expand the event’s reach.
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