Today is Shea Couleé's mom's birthday. As we chat, she mentions the deep clean she's currently in the midst of at her Chicago home in preparation for her mother's visit.
"It's got to be spick and span," Couleé laughs. "She's got to be able to eat off my floors."
There's a lot going on for the RuPaul's Drag Race star. She returned to the competition for All Stars 5 last week and announced a partnership with Goose Island Brewery Co., where they've crafted a special Pride-themed beer in the star's namesake.
PRIDE had a chat with Couleé about the Shea Coul-Alé, giving back to the transgender community, pole-dancing, blocking people on Instagram, and what she wants to do with the $100,000 when she wins should she win.
PRIDE: The beer is called Shea Coul-Alé. Did you come up with the name?
Shea Couleé: That was actually my boyfriend and partner, Dan, who came up with Shea Coul-Alé. He's just such a branding little genius. I remember even when I came up with the name Shea Couleé, I thought this would be great for marketing purposes because it'll rhyme with so many things.
How did you get involved with Goose Island Brewery Co.?
The introduction was made through Do312. They were doing their "Drag A Beer" project and really trying to bring together two completely different communities; beer and drag queens. Normally when you think of drag queens, you don't immediately think of beer, you think of Manhattans and Cosmos and Vodka Sodas.
I was actually really intrigued when they brought it to me because I myself am not a really big beer drinker, but I thought this would be a really great opportunity to go into uncharted territory.
Did you curate the Dry-Hopped Wheat Ale flavor?
They were already producing this seasonal beer, but I have had the opportunity to taste it. It is really quite lovely. I'm so happy. It's not nice and light, it's got a nice lemony quality to it but it's also full-bodied enough for people who are really avid beer drinkers. It's pleasing to a lot of different palates and I'm really pleased with what we put out.
The profits from the beer are doing to TransTech Social Enterprises, an organization dedicated to giving trans folks the vocational training and job placement they need to get a headstart in the workforce. Why did you choose this charity?
I picked TransTech Social Enterprises because I've been friends with Angelica Ross for a long time. She used to live here in Chicago. When I was coming up as a young, baby queen, I was always so moved by her activism and her engagement with the community in the way that she's always actively working on ways to give back and uplift and amplify trans women.
When we started talking about having there being a charitable aspect to the beer, TransTech is honestly the first thing I thought of. When I think about charity and I think about building community, it's really about reaching out to members of our community that are most vulnerable. Having the opportunity to give trans people vocational training, helping them work on their resumes to get better job placements, and overcome a lot of discrimination that they face when trying to get jobs. I think that really is a great opportunity to give back in a really meaningful way.
With Pride events canceled, what are you doing in your own life to celebrate Pride?
You know what, Pride is every day I wake up and take a breath. [laughs] I live every day full of Pride.
For the month of June, everyone's turning up for the sake of the movement. I'm going to be cooking from home, spending time with my chosen family and my nuclear family, and just focusing on community and investing in each other. That's what I really want to think about this Pride and moving forward, how can I invest more in my own community. When I do that, it still goes back and uplifts me at the same time. That's one of my biggest focuses this Pride season.
How can we, as fans, support our favorite drag queens?
Buy our merch. That's always the biggest way to support our drag queens. I currently just released a limited edition t-shirt that was inspired by my entrance outfit and 50 percent of the proceeds are going to the Breonna Taylor family fund to help get justice for Breonna Taylor and get the men responsible for taking her life charged for the crimes that they committed.
Not only can you help us by buying our merch, give us a follow, subscribe to us on YouTube. Those are ways that we monetize. And by being visible, that helps us to further amplify our causes and to be able to grow our brands.
I have to ask about RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 5. In last week's premiere, you were coming for FKA Twigs' gig with that pole dance. Do you still practice?
Due to COVID, I haven't been able to get back into the studio. The house that I live in, every single room has a ceiling fan so there's nowhere for me to install it at home so I am just waiting for the moment I can go back in there with my instructor, Keith, because he is amazing.
Do expect to see some more stunts from your girl coming out in the future.
During Untucked, you mentioned that you live in the "Petty Palace," so my question for you is, how many people have you blocked on Instagram?
I would say maybe around 100?
My thing is you really got to get to me to get me to block you. People sometimes want to get in the comments for clout. When you block them, the first thing they do is screenshot it and go to someone else's mentions and be like, "Ugh, the blocked me!"
What I do is mute them because you're no longer part of the conversation and I don't see you. It's invalidating to them. I pay them no mind. You know when a child is misbehaving and you just have to be like, "Oh you're trying to get my attention and I'm not gonna validate you with that."
Last question, what are you going to do with the prize money when you win All Stars 5?
Speak it into existence! Manifest that! Hallelujah! [laughs]
My dream would be to invest in buying a home. That's the realest way to actually build wealth in this country. Black people don't own property at higher rates than our other counterparts. I would love to be able to say, "I'm no longer renting. This right here is mine." Have a big garden and just like, find a home, that would be really really great. I would treat myself by doing that.
The Shea Coul-Alé is available for delivery and to-go options from Clybourn Brewhouse, Fulton Taproom, Philly Brewhouse, and Replay in Andersonville.
