Thirty years ago, she opened a door in Mount Rainier and called it CAFE. Tonight, we celebrate everyone who walked through it.
In 1996, Lorna Green turned a love for children and culture into a single steelband. What began as a dream became a family, and a home for more than 1,500 students across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
Her students have performed at the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, and Strathmore. They have carried something quieter, too: discipline, culture, and belief, into classrooms, orchestras, and lives of their own.
Excellence
Served
Enrollment
Kennedy Center · Smithsonian · Strathmore · Three-Time PANfest Grand Champions
Two ways to celebrate her journey
From a short tribute to the full collection of voices, these films tell the story of the woman who built CAFE.
A Legacy in Rhythm
A short tribute — alumni, students, and friends, in five unforgettable minutes.
The Full Tribute
Family, staff, alumni, and friends share the stories behind thirty years of Mrs. Green's leadership.
Continue Her Legacy
For thirty years, Mrs. Green opened her doors, and her heart, to every child who walked through them. A gift today helps CAFE carry her legacy forward for the next generation of students.
Give in Her Honor