An Open Invitation from Loren “Coco” Mayer, Costume Studio Manager
Coco wearing an African-inspired Costume
On February 2 from 12:30-2:00 pm, Coco will be hosting a Black History Month celebration in the Drake Green Room.
Everyone is welcome–and Coco says to come hungry!
Last year, her celebration included Black cultural trivia and a full soul food menu: chicken tenders, mac-n-cheese, collard greens, cornbread, pork rinds, banana puddin’ and Kool-Aid.
“Black History month has been part of my upbringing and culture,” Coco explains, and “I’m really blessed that I’ve retained it and I want to share it! I felt almost a mission to throw this celebration.”
Here are a few questions from the 2022 trivia (answers at bottom of this page):
- Who was the first African American to win an Oscar as Best Actress in a Supporting Role?
- Who were the first Black Artists to win a Grammy?
- Who was the “Conductor” of the Underground Railroad?
- Which U.S. president officially recognized Black History Month?
The 2023 celebration will continue a tradition that she started as a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She clarifies, “I threw huge Martin Luther King Soul Food dinners. And everyone has always been welcome. It was a great opportunity to discuss Black History, to talk about Kwanzaa, and to remember civil rights efforts from the past.”
Trivia Answers:
- Hattie McDaniel, Gone With the Wind (1939)
- Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald
- Harriet Tubman
- Gerald R. Ford