Trinity’s Black Student Union will be hosting Mocha Life, BSU’s annual show held in honor of Black History Month.
“Each year, we host Mocha Life in a bid to showcase the different facets and elements of the African-American culture,” said Thato Matome, Mocha Life coordinator of BSU.
The show will include musical acts as well as educational biographies. There will be both solo acts and group acts, including performances from the AcaBellas, Loon-E Crew, the Prowlers and the Trinity Stand Band.
“We often don’t get many opportunities to perform in shows that are dedicated to a certain culture,” said Lauren York, a senior member of the AcaBellas. “It’s really awesome that Mocha Life allows us to do that. It’s nice when we can contribute to the actual substance of the event in terms of song choice.”
“We invite so many different people who are talented and who appreciate what this means,” Matome said. “I can’t wait to see how these groups will interpret the theme into their performances.”
The theme for this year’s Mocha Life is Motown, an American record company that was founded in 1959 in Detroit.
“The theme focuses on how Motown took African-American artists from the community and used them to integrate America,” said Michael McIntosh, this year’s master of ceremonies for Mocha Life. “It was the first major label that did crossover music that was catered to all races. We’re tying that into how it has molded society and inspired artists today.”
In the past, BSU has also invited members of the UTSA community to participate in the event. This year, they have invited UTSA members from a historically African-American fraternity to speak about their experiences in the fraternity and what it has meant to them.
BSU tries to have an act from outside the San Antonio community participate in the event each year as well. This year’s outside performer will be jazz singer Ruby Alexander.
“We’re putting in the work to make sure it’s such an enriching, enlightening and entertaining experience,” Matome said. “It’s such a unique show, and every year there’s a different energy and a different vibe. I encourage people to come and experience that.”
The event presents a varied outlook on the African-American community and its relationship with other communities.
“Mocha Life gives students the opportunity to give their perspective on how the African-American community impacts and interacts with other communities in the world,” McIntosh said. “It’s not just black students who are performing, so it’s every student in their own way showing how they see the African-American community or communities of other minorities influencing the greater community as a whole.”
The performance will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, in Laurie Auditorium.
