Interview with Tequila Cooper
Morgan Thomas
Tequila Cooper, an underground artist unmuvabo from Chicago, with many talents ranging from mother, MC, poet, and even a youth mentor, her story and views on "success" are diverse. Tequila is currently working on a project (album) titled "Until Therez Nothin' left." Meaning until there is nothing left to fight. "There is so much work to be done." Said Tequila and she is surely striving for change. Despite the fact that, she became pregnant at 16, that never stop her from her goal of "success" if anything her newborn, baby girl gave her more inspiration. Tequila Cooper and her craft with out doubt is surely someone you would like to know.
Morgan: Where did you grow up? What affect has it left on you? Tell me about your youth?
Tequila: I grew up all over this city... I believe that this has helped me to become a very well rounded and eclectic individual. Most people have a hard time figuring me out by "appearance". What I mean by that is typically you can tell where a person grew up by how they talk, dress, walk, etc. However, I never allowed anyone to lock me in a box.
I've seen a lot of things and been a lot of places. All of these things have created many women in me... I kept my head in books...as a kid we didn't have many books in the house, so I found myself reading an old textbook from my mother's childhood over and over and over again. This is how I learned to read. I don't ever remember not knowing how to read. I remember not being in school, but never not knowing how to read. I wrote many short stories and won numerous writing contests for stories and poetry in school...
I had been in environments where I was the only "black" person in the class and others where there was not one face other than black. I welcomed challenge and was never afraid to rise above negative influences; however, I became fascinated by people who were easily distracted by worldly things. This is primarily the reason I became pregnant at 16. Which was the beginning of my journey towards independence.
Morgan: Who are your influences?
Tequila: My influences are young people and music. These two factors tell us where we are in society. If you listen to music it tells you the mindset of how we think, what we see, it keeps me close to the streets. Young people also tell us where we are in the world, or really in our communities. We have already surpassed the death toll for young people last year. This year is only half done. We have had a 187% increase in homelessness amongst young people within the past two years; students are dropping out of school at alarming rates. Young people influence my life. They are our hope or our demise for the future.
Morgan: What challenges as a woman do you face?
Tequila: The one major problem I face, as a woman is not being allowed to be a woman. I am a womanist not a feminist. Womanists believe in the natural roles of "motherhood, community, family, tradition and preparation"; feminist believes that women should be able to do what men do. I believe that both men and women have natural roles prescribed to us by laws of nature. For example, women are natural nurturers/creators men are natural hunters/providers. Men and Women balance one another; however, because of the way society is structured, women are placed in roles where they must rear children, work several jobs to be providers, fight against distractions and raise men to be men. When Michelle Obama decided to quit her "job" and focus completely on motherhood, feminists bashed her decision. Since when is raising children "not a job"? Please! Men also face things that may be unnatural for them as well... but since I am a woman I will not discuss that subject. This is why I am working hard to bring WOMANISM back.
Morgan: Do you believe being a woman hindered you?
Tequila: I do not believe that being a woman has hindered me to do anything; if anything it has empowered me to do many things.
Morgan: Do you believe you can change the world? If so, how?
Tequila: I want to help change the way women view success. I want to travel and write...everything from grants to music to plays to songs. I want to be absolutely free from red tape and rules that I don't believe in. I want to LIVE and not just EXIST. I want to leave a legacy that my daughter can be proud of. I want to be married, live on an island and raise more children...lol. Of course, I've already started to change the world. Think about it like this: when Oprah's mother gave birth, Gandhi's mother, Obama's mother, etc. these women changed the world by rearing some of the greatest minds. My sacrifices and contributions as a mother, sister, daughter and aunt (and very soon a wife) have allowed me to want better in the world. When I left the distractions of vanity I began to be better for the world. I heard the tears of children, smelled the blood of children, and saw the pain of mothers; that was the beginning. I still have so much work to do, but I know my legacy will be my sacrifices, struggles and triumphs my story, her story, our story are the examples that can change the world.
Morgan: What advice would you give a to young woman who may be interested in following the path that you decided to take?
Tequila: The path that I've taken was random. I never had my mother, or any woman guiding me down the path in which I could have been "successful" if you will. I would not tell my daughter to have a child young, blow off her education and fall in love with a boy. Naw. But I would talk to young women who have already somewhat gone down this path. Like them I was lost, but unlike most young women who have found themselves in similar situations, I rose above my circumstance and raised a child who is like me but so different. I would let them know that despite the hardships of motherhood, this can make you a stronger person and you can get your second chance through your child. With my own daughter, I've used my life as an example for her to strive above what is expected of her statistically. However, I am hoping the legacy in which I leave will INSPIRE women in many ways to overcome the "impossible".
Morgan: If you ha a dream dinner, whom would you invite (dead or alive)?
Tequila: If I had a dream dinner I would most definitely invite 100 of the strongest women I've ever known and not. The list would consist of my best friends (sisters); my daughter, I would invite great-great-great grandmothers, Nina Simone, Queen Hatshepsut, Alice Walker, Roberta Flack, Mary J. Blige, Sade, Toni Morrison, Winnie Mandela along with those I can not immediately think of. The only man that would be present would be The Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Morgan: What do you think of your art, or any art as an activist act?
Tequila: I am just now becoming conscious about creating art that will inspire change. Before, I never approached my art in that manner. I just created. However, at the end of 2006 when I planned and organized the Wonda Women Project (the movement to bring recognition to women in Hip Hop), I knew that my art should, could and would inspire change. At this point I am working on a project (album) titled "Until Therez Nothin' Left" meaning until there is nothing left to fight...until I have no more breath... That's when I will stop. This album is all about change in me, in community, in humanity. There is so much work to be done, and the fact is I am inspiring people through my ideas everyday. I am where I need to be...in ten years I will have impacted many lives.