By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

For Micah Blair, being a “blerd ” is about more than comic books, cosplay, and anime. It’s about creating a space where people can embrace who they are without judgment.

“A blerd is an African American or person of color that loves everything in the nerd community, from anime to dressing up to comic books, to playing video games,” Blair said.

On June 20, Blair will bring that vision back to Birmingham for the third annual African American Comic Expo, a celebration of Black nerd culture, creativity, and community.

The event will take place from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club on Birmingham’s west side. Attendees can expect 11 panels, nearly 20 vendors, four food trucks, a cosplay contest, arts and crafts activities for children, and even a quiet room designed to accommodate attendees with sensory needs.

The expo is organized by Blerd Over Incorporated, Blair’s nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging people of color to embrace their interests and build community through shared passions.

“Nobody else in the city of Birmingham was doing something like this,” Blair said. “I want to do it for a good cause and just to be the inspiration and the outlook for people of color just to be themselves.”

Becoming an Advocate

A Birmingham native and Minor High School graduate, Blair traces his own journey into nerd culture back to age six, when his mother introduced him to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

“The premise of it is basically a father, Master Splinter, adopted these four turtles and called them their sons,” Blair said. “It picked up on that it don’t matter what people look like at the end of the day. Accept everybody for who they are.”

But embracing those interests wasn’t always easy.

Blair recalled being bullied as a child for his love of superheroes, toys, anime, and comic books.

“It got so bad that I had some bullies to actually dunk my head in the toilet,” he said.

Even through middle school, high school, and college, Blair said he often felt pressure to leave those interests behind.

“You didn’t want to be talked about,” he said. “People would say, ‘You like this childish stuff. You need to be grown.’”

Instead, Blair chose to embrace what he loved and become an advocate for others who may feel isolated.

“Some people, they need that. They need to see somebody doing it so they can feel comfortable in themselves still doing it,” he said.

Beyond Conventions

Since launching Blerd Over in 2019, Blair has expanded the organization’s work beyond conventions. The nonprofit hosts back-to-school drives, provides free haircuts for children, organizes game nights, and promotes literacy through comic books.

“We teach kids how to read by giving them a comic book,” Blair said. “That’s how I kind of learned to read.”

While the nonprofit’s programming continues to grow, the African American Comic Expo remains its signature event.

Blair intentionally hosts the convention on Birmingham’s west side, hoping to expose residents to opportunities and career paths they may not have considered.

“It’s more than basketball, football, and rap,” he said. “You can be a content creator. You could be a costume designer, a comic book designer. Be a streamer.”

The event is also scheduled during Juneteenth week, a decision Blair says was intentional.

“That’s the most important time for African Americans, for our heritage to be celebrated,” he said.

Blair believes events like the African American Comic Expo help spotlight a community that is often overlooked.

“There are Black nerds,” he said. “There are more people of color that love stuff like this.”

The Birmingham blerd community continues to grow, according to Blair, though he says more visibility and support are still needed.

“It’s growing, but we need to do more,” he said. “We need more events, more gatherings, peaceful gatherings, and just have more conventions and meet-and-greets for people to come out and experience something like this.”

The expo has steadily expanded since its launch. Blair estimates about 100 people attended the first event, while attendance grew to between 200 and 300 people during the second year.

Now entering its third year, Blair hopes to continue building momentum.

“The end goal is to get it big enough to have it down at the BJCC,” he said

Tickets for the African American Comic Expo are $20 and can be purchased online or at the door. Children ages 3 to 8 are admitted free.

For Blair, the event represents something larger than fandom. It’s about creating opportunities, building connections, and showing people that it’s okay to embrace every part of who they are.

“You could be grown, you could be young, and you could still love the things and do the things you wanted to do as a kid till now,” he said.

For tickets and more information, visit https://blerdoverllc.godaddysites.com/a-a-c-expo-2025-1.