Collandrea "Coco" Conners

Grew up… in South Side Chicago in tough conditions. Coco did not have it easy. Her mother tried to give her the best she could, but Coco wanted more. She worked hard to get the best grades and receive every accolade. And she did what she thought she needed to do to get ahead: assimilate. 

Profession… college student. Coco puts her studies first. Working hard is her number one priority so that she can be the successful rich black queen she wants to be. 

Interests… being number one. For Coco there is no such thing as second place. She has planned her life step by step. Coco is not only focused on acing every one of her classes, but also finding the most desirable man to stand by her side. But most guys cannot keep up with Coco. As she tells her ex-boyfriend: “I’m smarter than you. I’m more ambitious than you. Thirty years from now when I am the second black female president, all you’ll be able to do is think about me and I won’t remember your name.”

Relationship Status… single. As a dark-skinned black woman in a predominantly black school, she feels that guys consider her the lady of the night. She is determined to fit in—even if that means having straighter hair like the white students. 

Challenge… learning how to be powerful and true to herself. To be at Winchester, Coco has had to separate herself from her South Side origins. Although she has managed to maintain a large level of academic success, she finds herself more lost than ever. Like for many black students at Winchester, it’s hard for Coco to fulfill her dreams at Winchester while also embracing who she is. Coco is frustrated by some of the white students. As she says, “as soon as you double down on your blackness, they will double down on their bullshit.”

Personality... determined, touch and caring. Everything Coco wants, Coco gets. What a lot of people fail to see is the fact that she has a softer side. She cares for her loved ones and is a good friend.