CoCo

Her curtain call began Jan. 27, 1963 as Ingrid Tempie Walton, and very soon afterwards, she would become affectionately known as “CoCo”, for her warm comforting persona. She began her journey in Highland Park, Michigan where she got her pre-secondary education, graduating from Highland Park Community High School in 1980. She continued on to Marygrove College and Highland Park Community College, graduating in 1987 as a Licensed Practical Nurse. This was a destiny that seemed to be all but written in stone. As a child and into adulthood, Coco had and has always been very caring and nurturing and her former patients would attest to that. This nature of selflessness can be seen in her daughter and grandson, whom she has raised, and now are productive and active in the Detroit community.

In February of 1991, Coco’s sister was prematurely taken away from her due to a stress related stroke and this stirred something inside of Coco. In June of the same year, she was given a chance to perform at a night club in downtown Detroit managed by a friend. The friend knew of Coco’s infection’s sense of humor and knew that this may help Coco’s spirit in the wake of losing her sister. The stage was much like the classroom and the E.R. for Coco, she excelled. Her interpersonal style of comedy brought joy to the audience that night and she never looked back. Her appearances on BET’s Comicview and Def Comedy Jam are CLASSICS that to this day continue to bring deep gut busting laughter to audiences new and old. Coco has toured the country and the world performing comedy and in September of 1996, just months after leaving nursing for good, she found a forum big enough to harvest her brand of comedy and social insight, Radio. She had worked for Clear Channel from 1996-2013, with a short hiatus in between to focus on family. In July 2014 she returned to radio with former morning show host Mason.

As, Coco’s popularity and fame has grown, so has her love and compassion for her hometown of Highland Park and adopted home of Detroit. At any given moment she can be seen in any part of town, uplifting a soul in need. Her heart and kindness eclipses her stature and is unequaled in the community. There in not a non profit or community group that has ever heard the word “NO” from her, giving of her time and money. She has participated in MDA events, Mittens for Michigan (Whitney Cummings non profit). She has also personally touched the lives of numerous with her unmatched generosity. Young women with families that have been struck with tragedy or adversity have turned to her when no one else would help and she has opened her heart and wallet to those in need. She does this with anonymity; with only the families of those she has help knowing the details and circumstances. This is because she does what her heart leads her to do not what looks good for TV or radio.

In 2009, Coco decided she needed to do more to help her beloved cities and she started Coco’s House. The organization is a charitable organization with 501(c)(3) status, whose purpose is to better the lives of those left to live in blight and poverty. Her goal and the goal of the organization is to help people realize their dreams and to achieve something greater themselves.