LaTonya B., Assistant General Manager at Taco Bell Corp., has been with the brand for 34 years!
“I started working at Taco Bell when I was 16 years old. I was excited to go to work because the atmosphere was a family-oriented business. At home, I had my mother, brother and sister, but outside of them, Taco Bell was my family. It’s been over 30 years, but I remember the names of my peers at the first location I worked at, and that shows the impact of Taco Bell.”
Looking back at her time at The Bell, LaTonya fondly remembers the busiest moments in the restaurant, which proved to be the most rewarding.
“The greatest feeling came after finishing a stressful shift. Although it did not always go well, we ended the shift on a positive note because we DID that; we made it through a busy time coming out on top by leaning on each other. And there’s no other feeling to match that.”
Over the past three decades, meaningful moments like these have inspired LaTonya to give back to the community by becoming a mentor for those around her. As a child of a single parent, LaTonya saw her mother sacrifice a lot to take care of her family. This made LaTonya a guiding voice for her own siblings, with the help of skills learned at Taco Bell. Now, she applies the same thing to anyone that comes into the restaurant.
“When my mom was busy with everyone else, I was my sibling’s person to keep them on a steady path, by helping them with everything from homework to life. Now, when I see young adults in a similar boat, maybe talking about school or consider leaving it to find themselves, I always try and guide them to make sure they stay on a good path that will eventually lead to success in the future.”
Speaking of school, LaTonya will be graduating from Bellevue University with a degree in Business of Applied Science in June.
“I had been going to school on and off for so long. I got my associate's degree a while back, but I wanted to go back to school. So then, I decided to take advantage of Taco Bell Corporate education program and finish what I had ongoing.”
Education doesn’t stop at her degree, as LaTonya continues to educate herself on her community. She practices this both in and outside of Black History Month.
“When it comes to the month of February, I share biographies of Black Historical figures who had a significant impact on society (such as Maya Angelou) to my peers. Outside of Black History Month, I [research] information about Black History and find ways to honor it. One thing I do is wear t-shirts with the faces of those who created the foundation of Black History. I choose a photo that moves me, then get it printed on different shirts to wear, to further honor the legacy all year around.”
For those looking to get more involved with the Black community, LaTonya advises the following:
“[You] have to want to get involved. Then, I feel like it is best to round up some peers and talk to them about Black History to start. Then, continue increasing these little huddles and conversations until you’ve gotten an entire community to learn from!”
Community is what has kept LaTonya growing personally and professionally, and it’s something she hopes to continue building for those around her.
“I want people to remember me as someone who had a passion for helping people and actually did. I want to be the high energy person that provided input, took care of those around me, and helped them grow in all ways of life. That’s why I say to everyone to be true to yourself, be a good person, keep Faith first, and family second no matter if they’re blood-related or not.”
Interested in working at Taco Bell? Head to careers.tacobell.com to learn more. For corporate and franchise locations. Franchisees and licensees are independent business owners and employers and are responsible for their own employment practices and benefits.