Help Taquela Recover from Multiple Disasters

"This is a story of bad luck," Taquela told me over the phone. She chuckled, but I was not prepared for the magnitude of weight on her shoulders that she was about to divulge.

In the last few years, Taquela has endured:

*a fire that burned down her home

*a debilitating car crash

*becoming a caretaker for her mother who has lost her speech and mobility due to a stroke (as well as a caretaker for her child and 3 grandchildren)

*loss of job and insurance

*death of her father and loss of family support

Taquela Cooper is the stepdaughter of our A.B.O. Comix contributor G, who is currently incarcerated in Missouri. She is the sole caretaker of her three grandchildren and disabled mother. Taquela has worked tirelessly at her job and for her family since she was a teenager, and is now in dire need of community support.

Taquela is only in her mid-30's, but she and her mama are both Certified Nursing Assistants who have collectively worked in the field for over 40 years. She was a beloved caregiver at the nursing home where she worked for 5 years, braiding the hair of patients and spreading optimism and hope for those who were in failing health. She worked 7AM-7PM with no days off due to staff shortages.

3 days before Christmas in 2020, Taquela's house burned down.

Taquela went to the bank to get a loan, but the bank told her she needed to pay $34,000 to close on her house and car.

3 days later, a 20 year old driver crashed into her, flipping her on the highway. The accident totaled her car and caused severe back injuries.

Soon thereafter, violence broke out in her community and her youngest child, pregnant with twins, was affected by a stabbing and shooting. Taquela's daughter moved in with her although she was already struggling financially and physically from the loss of her home and car wreck.

Then Taquela's mama went missing. She was found 2 days after having had a stroke in her car with 75% of the left side of her brain damaged. Taquela's mother lost her ability for speech and mobility at only 50 years old.

Taquela went on leave from her job for two months to sort out care for her mother when she received a phone call on Father's Day telling her that her dad had passed away. Taquela went to Kansas City to bury her father, and put in for 3 days of bereavement leave at her work.

When Taquela tried to return to work, her job terminated her and said she could come back when she had things more figured out at a reduced rate of $14.40 an hour (she was previously making $18). She lost her insurance that was through her job.

Taquela attempted to apply for a free ramp for disabled families to assist with the two flights of stairs in her home. She was denied because of the need of a licensed contractor to install it, and now has to carry her disabled mother up these stairs by herself. Carrying her mother to the bathroom and around the home is extremely painful and difficult for Taquela after being injured in the car wreck. She was told it would be between $19,000 to $30,000 for a stairlift.

Taquela is now 2 months behind on her mortgage and is struggling with physical pain, abandonment by other family members, and chronic suicidal thoughts. She has so much responsibility on her shoulders that she feels hopeless.

Though Taquela tearfully proclaimed that any amount of help would be a blessing, let's raise as much as we can to get a stairlift installed at her home, her mortgage and bills paid, support for her children and grandchildren, and a much needed vacation after all she has been through.

This is a plea to the community to please help Taquela, her family, and our dear friend, G, who called us from prison to ask for help. Thank you, friends. Let's get Taquela the help she needs!