About the Founder
Mrs. Tequila Cheatham McCray has been writing since the age of seven years old. Poetry was a way to describe the world around her, and the attempt to make sense of her environment. From keeping a daily journal and reading poems by Maya Angelou, she learned how to use metaphors at an early age. As a matter of fact, she was the only one in her language arts class to use metaphors in her writing assignments.
A native born of Miami, Florida, she moved to Washington DC to further her education. “I call it my Northern Migration: Moving from the South to the North for better opportunities and to explore the arts.” She had no idea of her passion for writing until she became so occupied with life, she stopped writing. She felt “lost, like something was missing.” It was the summer of 2008, when she realized the incompleteness was caused by a lack of expression, a lack of writing. “I don’t know what happened honestly. When I noticed, I wrote something down immediately!”
The Southern Bell collected every poem written from high school and early college years to publish her first poetry book called, Dueces & Hearts. From attending poetry slams, assisting friends with school papers, receiving acclamation from close friends and professors about her writing, she decided to major in English.
After receiving a 1st place award for her, then, unfinished play, Time, Tequila decided to put even more effort toward a writing career.
Thoughts about creating her own business, The Grapevine Sway LLC came about when she realized how many people claimed to not like poetry because of the bombardment of metaphors, but fearful about lack of business knowledge. One early morning while listening to the Steve Harvey Morning Show, she decided to take Mr. Harvey’s advice about following her dreams and not being afraid to take the ultimate risk to become the success she always wanted to be.
“The arts, specifically writing, has always liberated me from the times. When I write, I’m allowed to dream without restrictions. I can simply be without fear of being. When I combine my writing with other avenues of the arts, I am my best self. From playwriting, screenwriting, ghostwriting,and blogging to drawings, paintings, hair styling, and dancing, I can be my best self and inspire others while doing so. All I needed to do was learn about business; but that’s what my life in retail prepared me for, unknowingly. All I needed to do was connect the dots.I’m still connecting them.”
Peace & Love
Deuces & Hearts
Photo Gallery
