About MECCAcon

Midwest Ethnic Convention for Comics and Arts, aka MECCAcon, are large comic book, Afrofuturism, film, and art conventions held yearly across the United States and abroad. Unlike many “comic cons”, we don’t just focus only on comic books. Art has several mediums, and we want to highlight them all. MECCAcon highlights comic books, science fiction, steampunk, manga, authors, artists, publishers, international film, artisans, music, fine arts, and more. Affililate locations have included Detroit, Los Angeles, the Bronx, Philadelphia, Texas, Atlanta, D.C., Toronto, Montreal, St. Louis, and more.

The primary reason MECCAcon was established was to instill knowledge primarily in the younger art culture. It is my mission to make sure that children know that all “heroes” do not look the same, that many actually look just like THEM. It is also important to learn the origin of comic books, what the historical facts come from, and what the word “hero” actually derives from. At these conventions, while comic books are the main focus, we want to make sure that ALL forms of art are highlighted. At the end of the day, art is and always will be ART, creative expression.

 

 

MECCAcon International Film Festival, founded in 2014, highlights independent short films starring & from creators of the African diaspora. MECCAconIFF is a branch of MECCAcon, and affiliated with BSAM, which travels across the United States and abroad. With MECCAconIFF, short films are primary, but feature films have been added as well. We always have some of the best filmmakers in the industry that participate. We believe in showcasing GREATNESS to the public eye!

Afrofuturism and astro blackness has been practiced in our community for years, especially thru literature, visual arts, and music. Artists like Sun Ra, Octavia Butler, Basquiat, Fela Kuti, George Clinton, John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Samuel Delaney, Jimi Hendrix, Paschal B. Randolph, Toni Morrison, Amiri Baraka, Tananarive Due, Afrika Bambaataa and the ZULU NATION are excellent examples.

Filmmakers in the past have included but aren’t limited to Qasim Basir, Evita Castine, Yolonda Ross, James Bland, Darius Clark Monroe, Evita Castine, Ka’ramuu Kush, dream hampton, Derek Dow, Xavier L Burgin, Donnie Leapheart, Eliciana Nascimento, Music On the Road, Nosa Igbideon, Korstiaan Vandiver, Dehanza Rogers, Zo!, the Seals brothers, Jumai Yusuf, JonCarlos Evans, Jackie Stone, Nick Speed, and many more.

 

MEET THE FOUNDER

Maia Williams, also known as “Crown”, is executive assistant to many different businesses, artists, and events in the Metro Detroit area. Crown is founder of Midwest Ethnic Convention for Comics and Arts (MECCAcon), MECCAcon International Film Festival  (MECCAconIFF), as well as co-founder and former executive coordinator of Black Speculative Arts Movement (BSAM).

MECCAcon is a globally traveling comic book, film, and Afrofuturism conventions and festivals that occur all year long in major cities and countries.  MECCAcon was originally founded  in 2013 in Detroit, before its national and global expansion. Williams is an executive assistant, event coordinating, and owns a mass promotion company that includes small Businesses, Events, Marketing, Authors, Musicians, Spoken Word/Poets, Artists, and more.

 

 

“My main objective of everything I do is to strengthen, build, protect, and grow. I instill those in each and every business, event, and project that i sign my name next to. Our people will only rise when we learn to stand up. In order for our community to grow, we must BE a community.” 

Executive Assistant, Event Coordinator, Comic-Con organizer, Chef, Jeweler, and more, she is a ‘sistah’ with many crowns, and takes the size and fit of each one seriously.