Maggie McGregor: I know you don’t have a lot of time, Denzel told me, so, I’m going she just get right down to the nitty-gritty: Rashida, what is your Starbucks order?
Rashida Tlaib: [Laughs] Oh! I really like flat blonde, it’s called flat white blonde.
MM: Oh, that sounds good.
RT: Yeah. And actually on days where I know it’s going to be long, I’ll do two shots and then that strawberry refresher with no lemonade. So, it depends on my mood that morning, but usually my first thing of go to is the blond white one, flat white blonde, blonde flat white I think it is. And I usually do a tall. But I can tell you when I’m all ready to go in there for some impeachment deposition thing [cheers from MM] I’m like give me two shots and then I always think you know bring down some strawberry refresher drink afterwards to get rid of the bitter taste. But it keeps me awake the rest of the day or energized.
MM: So, what Starbucks do you go to, in DC? Is there a specific one?
RT: Yeah I don’t want to tell you. [laughs from both of us] Is that okay? But it’s around the corner from where I am but it’s really cool because it’s near where kinda I get my groceries. I can kinda sometimes grab some fruit or something like that on my way out And then at home it’s usually the one right there on Woodward and King.
MM: Ok, I was wondering if…
RT: Yeah girl! Don’t be like stalking me there! No! I’m serious! I know I’m not as bad. I know a lot of my other colleagues get it worse, but people would show up.
MM: I read that you are the oldest of fourteen siblings. Is this true?
RT: Yes, I have seven younger brothers, six younger sisters.
MM: Oh my gosh! So I am, and this is nothing in comparison, I am the second oldest of six. I feel like for today that is still a big family! Do you feel, because I feel in my case this is definitely true, do you feel like that shaped you as a leader?
RT: One of the things I always tell people is you know, they say, “What did you do to prepare for where you’re at?” And you know people always think it’s going to be my law degree or the work that I did at nonprofit organizations, which absolutely did impact the approach that I take to public service, but honestly what has prepared me the most is being the oldest of fourteen. And it’s not only the safety net, but also we got through some really incredible challenges. My parents went through a lot and it was a lot of humor that we used to kind of get over some painful times and I use that a lot now, you know, when I’m kind of hit a wall I love how when I’m kind of getting you know targeted or something like that, and the family text group that we have we have a group text.
MM: I was just in my family group text!
RT: And it is great! And they’re like, “Oh s*** Rashida! Did you hear what the president said about you?” And then I was on Saturday Night Live and they’re like, “Dang, Rashida, they got you down pat! Like you slammin it.” So they make fun and have a lot of stuff that is happening, and even when things that they know are upsetting to me, like not being able to see my Gramma, and things like that. They use a lot of humor try to make me laugh and it’s something that I think really does help me stay grounded.
MM: Yeah I feel like in my case what was like what was definitely true was nothing formed my compassion like what was formed for my younger brothers and sisters. The compassion that shaped me taking care of them in hard times is nothing that could have been taught. You have so much compassion as a leader, that when I read that, I was like, “That’s where she gets that from.”
RT: Oh yeah. And they don’t like it when I say this, but, from mental illness to addiction to chronic unemployment issues to a number of issues that my family has gone through because of challenges and circumstances that we were facing living low-income and the instability that created I really do think it prepared me the most to take on representing the third poorest congressional district in the country.
MM: That is a really good transition into my next question. I’m sure you didn’t have time to read my blog at all, but it is about women’s fashion, some men’s fashion, but it also focuses on authenticity but it is my own experience with mental illness, Because I have severe anxiety and depression and I am super open about it. Do you have anything to say, because I mean, I know you don’t want to get tough or teary on this. Is there anything you have to offer that’s hopeful to the women reading my blog?
RT: One of the things that I think is really incredibly powerful as part of this American story that never gets really told is, yeah, I am one of the two Muslim women first ever elected, but I got elected by a majority non-Muslim community. And they didn’t share my faith nor my ethnicity, but it’s not just me, it’s sister Ilhan Omar. She represents seventy percent white community. I represent a predominantly African American community. And one of the things that I love is even during this heightened time, this pretty dark time in our country, you know both of us, in districts, nobody even looked at these districts and said, “Oh, there’s no way.” I mean for me specifically people did not believe in the possibility of someone like me representing my district in the United States Congress and the people power the grass roots were all of that, the connectivity that happened on the ground made this possible and it was just this incredible light during this dark time that I want young people especially young people that are struggling, feeling like they don’t belong, struggling feeling like they are not being accepted To know that it was fellow Americans that didn’t share my face or my ethnicity that elected me and made history.
MM: That’s incredible. They will be so thankful to hear that and read it on my blog. So we will switch to fashion! Do you have any favorite brands that you go?
RT: This is the stuff I hate! I am a person that if I go into I don’t care if it’s Macy’s or Nordstrom Rack or even JCPenney’s or any of those places I go straight to the sales rack. I’m a mom!
MM: Rashida that’s relatable!
RT: Absolutely! So I go to the sales rack. I see different dresses and different kinds of things that I want and I go there. I have really loved going to like a Marshall’s or something right by my near where I live about 20 minutes. It is great and I go there and I can find you know a blazer that would match an old dress that I have. I have been taking a lot of my old stuff and trying to figure out how to make it look different. But I know this, when want to look powerful I go to my Calvin Klein dress that I go to every single time. It makes me stand taller. It makes me walk like, “I got this.” I go to that particular dress all the time, when I need a little bit of a push.
MM: And that is a great work brand [Calvin Klein]! I have to say. The shift dresses! You lean toward a red lip color I noticed.
RT: That’s my sister Leila. Oh yeah! If you noticed I never wore it and then she was like, “Sis, you’re embarrassing me. Would you please get rid of your brown… I had these brown flats. She’s like I know you’re mom and it’s all mothers working for justice but do you really have to wear those ugly brown shoes that you have, because they are the most comfortable shoes but she hates when I wear them. But yeah, it was her. She was like, “Wear this.” It was interesting because I was like [unsure], but people were like “Wow, wow!” And I [thought], “Wow, this is great.” And I texted her and said, “Thanks sis!.” She was like,”Yep. Just listen to me.” But she is out of all my sisters, my six sisters, Leila is my fashionista I mean she is if you look at even her Instagram she is all about fashion. You know she wears like the hijab and she just does a beautiful amazing job even with her head scarf but she matches it. And her makeup is always like matching her head scarf. I go to her and am like, “Wow, your cheeks look…” and she’s like, “Sis, it is called contouring, do I have to teach you everything?” So I have a little sister, that is my ad hoc stylist. She’s the one who got me Clinique. I got to tell you, it’s the Clinique lipstick. But yeah I love it. I mean I can just put it on, it kind of comes out glossy and then it dries and it looks… and it stays on! Because I told her I wear lipstick all the time it just doesn’t stay on. She was like, “Because you’re not getting the right brand.” She went with me and she got it. She picked it out and said this is the one.
MM: Do you know what shade it is?
RT: Yeah, let me check. Hold on! Let me grab it out of my purse.
MM: I can follow up if you don’t want to grab it.
RT: No joke she is really good at this.
MM: I am going to have to follow up for her Instagram handle!
RT: Let me see. Oh my God it’s called a Flame! Let me see. I’m so blind! Flame Pop [laughs].
MM: I love it! You and AOC. So met with Alexandria very briefly and that was the only question I asked her was, “What was her lip color?”
RT: She knows! She’ll know. If I didn’t have it with me I’d probably call my sister and she’ll know right on top of her head too.
MM: So now I’m going to switch to kind of like… when you wind down, like what was your last TV binge?
RT: Oh my gosh!
MM: Can you reval that?!
RT: I can! What is it on HBO or something? Highlander? Is that it? Hold on!
MM: That’s Starz!
RT: Is it Starz? I don’t know but it came up and and I was like, “This is good!” [“Starz series…” googling] I’m unsure if it was highlander. But it was really she travels back or something? It was really good and it’s funny when you said binge! I have not done that in a while. “Outlander! It’s called Outlander!” It totally was!
MM: I knew exactly what you were talking about!
RT: It was so good! Like I haven’t got to… god It’s been two weeks now. But like I got second and I watched a ton one day! It was like a Sunday and I got stuck, it was so interesting!
MM: So when you’re Netflix binging or Starz binging, what is your Netflix snack? What is your TV binge snack? I know you have one!
RT: So I do love popcorn, like no joke, I could go for popcorn all the time, however white cheddar Cheez-Its are my favorite!
MM: Really?!
RT: Yeah I love it! White Cheddar Cheez-Its. I love it. It’s so good. And I love regular Cheez-Its, but man the white cheddar, they seem more buttery!
MM: So, are you… this is a telling question. I can always tell a lot about a person based on this. Are you a Friends or Seinfeld person?
RT: A what?
MM: [laughs] You know the TV show Friends? Or Seinfeld? Did you ever watch either of those?
RT: I mean Friends kind of remind me of my family more than Seinfeld.
MM: See some people have like a favorite.
RT: It’s funny because you know even in my family and it’s in Friends too, there’s like little cliques. You know? If some people are a little closer than others. That’s how it is in my family, and everybody has their own personalities and stuff. Seinfeld actually no joke reminds me of my cousins.
MM: Really?
RT: You know my dad’s side. They’re all quirky like that.
MM: That’s hilarious. Everybody’s got their quirks. In my feminist, fangirl world the Squad, like the four of you, are going out for karaoke. Who would be the first to get up for karaoke?
RT: Do you want to be honest? It’s definitely going to be Ilhan Omar!
MM: Really?!
RT: [laughs] She would be the first to get up! For sure!
MM: Do you know what her song would be?
RT: You know. we did karaoke together! We sang Aretha Franklin’s Respect!
MM: I was hoping it was that or It’s Raining Men!
RT: It was definitely Respect by Aretha Franklin kind of honoring her. Congressman Andre Carson invited us for karaoke. We showed up and he couldn’t believe it. And we were like, “Let’s do this.” And she was ready. She went in there like give me the book, I’m picking out my song. She was really into it.
MM: So do you guys have like a badbitch bar? You guys are bad asses of the Freshman class.
RT: We really self label ourselves. We are just sisters in service. But we don’t have a like a go-to place or anything like that. I mean you know we have our moments where we want to check-in. We check in with each other. We do these little check-ins but yeah it’s usually not in public.
MM: Do you function best as a morning person? Or are you more like a night owl?
RT: It depends. I can tell you this: for sure, for sure, for sure I am a morning person in the spring and the summer. Not in the fall and the winter. I am more of a late night person because it gets darker a little earlier. It depends on the season.
MM: I swear by it, that that all relates to mental health. And I’m not saying with you.
RT: I agree! I completely agree!
MM: I find it with myself, I find it with my friends. You just have to go easy on yourself. I tell them to go easy on themselves. There’s nothing you can do! I know you are being so generous with your time, so I will just finifh up with two more questions. What mantra gets you through your days when you are most filled with fear?
RT: So there’s a verse in the Koran. “With hardship comes ease.” It’s said three times. “With hardship comes ease. With hardship comes ease. With hardship comes ease.” And I don’t know. It’s the one verse that in my mind I think about you know that, these are challenges and I’m going to get stronger, it’s going to become easier. I just have to keep out working the hate. I have to keep focused on why I’m here and the people that are at home relying on me to fight for them and and just keep thinking yes it’s hard now but it’s going to get easier. It’s going to get easier the more I work, the harder I fight back.
MM: That’s amazing! That’s great to pass on! The last question I have for you is, what do you have to say, the women, the smart brave beautiful women who are holding onto hope, who are reading this interview that I’m
doing with you.
RT: One of the things that I realized when I first started running and you know what I decided to run for office. It took seven different people to convince me to run for office.
MM: Really?
RT: Yes. I want women to know we are constantly seeking permission to seek leadership to seek positions where we can help change the world for the better and I’m asking you all don’t wait for that. There is no line. It is time now. And you when you’re here, I’m not just talking about Congress, I’m talking about whatever level of presence that you have in this world right now, find a place where you right now, where you deep-rooted, you want to change the world? Do it now. Don’t wait. These are years and days we don’t get back. This is the time to do it and I just want to know all the women to know, that you should [not] have to wait for someone to give you permission to do it. You know when it’s time. You feel it and just do it and then try not to let the fear ‘cause it was very fearful for me to run for Congress, don’t let the fear paralyze you.
MM: That’s amazing. That’s incredible. Well I am definitely going to follow-up for Leila’s Instagram handle. I’m going to follow-up so I can share it with my readers. And I just thank you so much for your public service and I’m just so grateful for this time today. I’m sure our paths will cross again in the future. Have a great day!
RT: Thank you. You too. Take care. Bye, Bye.