Every March, we celebrate Women's History Month and the women who have built, shaped and improved our region and world.
To commemorate Women’s History Month and International Women's Day (March 8), we are highlighting women in the transit industry while also recognizing the need for more equity and inclusion.
Our Office of Civil Rights, Equity and Inclusion (CREI) works hard every day to connect more people to more places and more opportunities. A key member of that team is LaTonya Kadar.
She joined the agency in February 2021 as the Diversity & Inclusion Training and Engagement Specialist
For LaTonya, Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on "our intelligence, our playfulness, our resilience and our courage."
"As Women’s Month follows Black History Month, I want to acknowledge how Black women have, historically, steadily led the way of change," she said. "From the Underground Railroad, to being unsung leaders of the suffrage movement, to being a powerful voting constituency, to conceptualizing social justice methods and tools, to writing, speaking, singing, marching, dancing, creating, innovating – we do things that change lives and the world."
Now, on to the questions!
Q: What do you tell your friends you do for work?
A: I wear two hats within Sound Transit. First, as a member of The Office of Civil Rights, Equity and Inclusion, Inclusive Culture team, I am responsible for developing content and facilitating trainings that support our agency anti-racist and DEIC (diversity, equity, inclusion, culture) goals and strategies. My other hat (a wide-brim fedora?) is to provide direct support to our agency Employee-Led Groups and Networks. Both duties are challenging and bring me joy, humility, motivation and purpose. Our ELG program is fantastic and we’re only getting better!
Q: What’s your passion outside of your job?
Storytelling carries forth culture, traditions and wisdom and reminds us that others have walked these streets before us.
A: Storytelling is something that I thoroughly enjoy. Whether it be a podcast, broadcast, or in-person, I find peace and some serenity hearing other’s stories and recognizing just how connected we all actually are.
Q: What attracted you to work at Sound Transit?
A: I don’t mind being transparent by saying transportation had not been an industry I had ever considered. I’m not an engineer. When I learned about the position (a forever thank you to my friend who forwarded the job posting to me), and read about CEO Peter Rogoff’s announcement of becoming an anti-racist agency, I knew I wanted to part of the organizational culture change that would positively impact not only Sound Transit employees, but also our passengers and the communities we serve. And being a trainer at heart, I revel in assisting others achieve their hopes and goals. So, serving in a role of supporting to our Employee Resource Groups and Networks enables me to help amplify employee voices. That was icing on the cake.
Q: How do you get to work?
A: Well, I was onboarded during the pandemic, so haven’t commuted in yet. I live in University Place (Tacoma), so will be taking the train and/or bus when we return to campus soon.
Q: What three things would you take with you to a desert island (besides food and water)?
A: A guide on survival (logical); a coat (shelter and warmth); and a toothbrush (ask anyone who knows me how I am about brushing my teeth).