Devon Alexander, who kept St. Louis on the international boxing scene while holding two world championship belts, cherishes memories of his early bouts at the St. Louis Black Expo and the good times he had during those weekends.
“I love the Expo. I was a poor kid, and I just remember the fun, the snacks, and food. Besides boxing, the Expo was very important in my life,” he said while visiting young boxers at the Gambe Recreation Center on Monday.
The event that Alexander recalls has grown into a partnership between the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) as hosts of the Urban Expo Back to School & Community Empowerment Festival August 4-5, 2023, at the America’s Center in Downtown St. Louis.
Attendance is expected to top 30,000 and youths can pick up book bags, shoes, and school supplies to youth. SLPS officials will be onsite to assist with transportation, enrollment, and other school related questions and concerns.
The festival includes over 350 partners, and nonprofit and civic organizations share information on housing, jobs, public safety, and education. Social service agencies will have representatives, and health screenings will also be available.
In addition, the Urban League is also offering a warrant recall program at the Expo. While it will not clear them of charges, people with an outstanding warrant for a misdemeanor can have the warrant addressed. Those charged would still be responsible for court costs.
The Expo Career Fair returns from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday August 4 and more than 60 companies will have representatives on site. Resumes and business attire are requested for the event, and supportive services will be available.
The Fair is sponsored by the Regional Business Council, Urban League SOS program, stl.works, and Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Hiring and job placement opportunities will be available to qualified attendees who complete interviews.
A new event at the 2023 Expo will be the US Bank Financial Family Feud from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Families and individuals can compete by answering financial literacy and money management related questions.
National award-winning gospel singer, songwriter, and producer Fred Hammond will perform a variety of his classic chart-topping hits at ULSTL’s Grill to Glory Urban Expo Gospel Explosion main stage at 2 p.m. Saturday at America’s Center.
Not boxed in
Before turning professional, Alexander fought as an amateur during the Black Expo. He will be ringside during the Urban Expo Rumble in St. Louis boxing bouts from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in Hall 5 of the America’s Center and has two sons participating.
Alexander, who held the unified WBC and IBF light welterweight titles in 2010, and the IBF welterweight title from 2012 to 2013, grew up in the Hyde Park neighborhood and trained under former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Kevin Cunningham.
His exposure to the nuances of boxing convinced him that more Black youths should be introduced to the sport, especially those who seem destined for trouble.
“If a kid has an attitude, brin him here,” Alexander said while pointing to a boxing ring in the basement of the Gambe Rec Center.
“Boxing teaches you humility and discipline. I recommend that boxing training for 8 to 12-year-old boys be almost mandatory. Not just for the boxing aspect. You face frustration, but you can’t get mad and go get a gun. You have to use your mind to get your shot back legally.’
Alexander said for all its fury, “boxing calms you down.”
“Kids learn ‘I can get hit, and I don’t have to go get a gun.’”
Alexander, 36, said he still enjoys the Expo just as he did as a youth.
“The Expo is one of those things I looked forward to back then, and I look forward to now.”
