Michigan Black Expo, Inc.(MBEI) was germinated on April 9 of 1994 and incorporated on May 9, 1995 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is designed to 1] establish Metro Grand  Rapids as the west coast of Michigan’s regional hub of  African-descended intellect, culture and commerce to compliment the Detroit hub in the east and 2] to engage employment creation, racism abatement and the bringing together of a majority of  people by creating a perpetual non-profit industry out of MBEI-branded society enhancement events,  products, services and institutions that collectively embody the most positive elements of the African-descended  Experience.