“About a month ago, this lady, she had a pretty dress on, walked clean out the store. The cart [was] full with stuff. No bags. I [said], ‘Ma’m, ma’am, please stop.’ She rolled so fast out of there. She had $500 worth of stuff. They caught her at the QuikTrip and she got locked up for a feloney,” LaTia Diamond, the nighttime security guard at the Walmart Supercenter in Brentwood, said.
Once the sun goes down the 23-year-old watchman starts her shift fighting the common criminal at the internationally-based supercenter. Before the sun comes up, LaTia is back at her home in South St. Louis ready to take her 3-year-old daughter to preschool.
“I see [my daughter] throughout the day. That’s why I like the overnight shift. I’m able to see her more, and interact with her more. When it’s time for her to go to sleep, I’m at work. I get to teach her life things everyday,” Diamond said. “She knew how to walk at ten months, she was potty trained by one and a half. I just teach her the best that I can as of right now.
Diamond’s mother watches and takes care of her granddaughter the nights that Diamond is not scheduled to work. Diamond has been living with her mother since she had a stroke and was diagnosed with diabetes three years ago. Although her mother’s health issues stressed her out, Diamond remained resilient and kept working to support herself and her family, as she had done all her life.
“Before my daughter I had all types of jobs. I worked at Five Guys, Sears, Save-a-Lot, a couple nursing homes,” Diamond said. Diamond started working after beginning her high school career at Roosevelt High School in the south side of St. Louis. She was forced to give up many of her true passions to work, including the volleyball team where she was the star player on the Varsity squad.
Since she was just born, her mother was obliged to support her daughter financially completely on her own, as Diamond’s only father figure was not there for the bulk of her life.
“When I was 3 months, he got locked up. He told me he had three strikes. He had been in and out of jail all his life,” Diamond said. “He got locked up for everything you can think of. He had killed somebody, but that’s not what he was locked up for. My daddy was the devil.”
Diamond’s father was initially convicted and sentenced to serve three life sentences. However, after good behavior and time served, her father was released after only 21 years.
“First time I met him he was at Jefferson City, then he went to Bonne Terre, and then he went to Lincoln,” Diamond said. “I was ten when I [first visited him].” The first time Diamond met her father, she was noticeably nervous, while her father was exceedingly excited. Nevertheless, Diamond’s nerves quickly vanished as she witnessed her father’s figure for the first time.
“He was 6’4”, darker than me,” Diamond said. “They called him blue he was so black, that’s his jail name.”
From that day on, Diamond frequently visited her father, without letting these appointments influence her schoolwork.
“[It did not] affect my school studies because my mama was on my head. I was in the honors classes, grades were always good,” Diamond said. “It didn’t really affect my academics. It just affected my mind’s state.” Diamond has forgiven her father, who has been out of jail for three whole years, for his past actions.
“We are close. I feel like he is some part of what happened in my life, but I can’t blame him either because he had a life to life too,” Diamond said. “If my dad was there, I wouldn’t be too focused on boys.” Since her father was released from prison, he has completely changed his way of life. He has stayed away from the streets and has been a noble citizen.
“He is doing good now. [He has] a condo [and] a new 2016 Malibu. He’s only been here three years and he’s doing better than me. He [is working] at a factory company in St. Peters,” Diamond said. “He gets paid a nice amount of money. He found a girlfriend, they got engaged. Two heads are better than one.”
At Roosevelt High School, Diamond was a stellar student. When senior year finally came, Diamond was excited to head off and pursue a higher education.
“I got accepted into three colleges, but I didn’t go. I should’ve went. I got accepted at [SIUE], UMKC and University of Missouri. I didn’t go because [of my] boyfriend. There are distractions,” Diamond said. “That’s why I have to make a way for my daughter so she won’t have to deal with distractions. She will be more focused on the books.”
Diamond began dating her ex-boyfriend before high school.
“We met at 14. I was his first everything. He wasn’t my first. I wasn’t a thot, but I knew what I was doing. I click with dudes a lot,” Diamond said. “I get where they’re coming from, but he still hurt my heart so I had to let him go. But I can’t judge you for you living your life.” After high school, the couple got an apartment on the North side of St. Louis. Diamond was financially supporting the two of them on her own. When she was only 20-years-old, Diamond learned she was pregnant with a girl.
“[I’m] just one person doing everything. [I’m] superwoman. That’s why my [child’s father] picked me as his child’s mother; because I am a hard worker,” Diamond said. “I am gonna provide for my daughter. Instead of being at home with my child, I gotta be at work. If I don’t work, she don’t eat.” According to Diamond, the relationship was strong in the beginning. However, Diamond was searching for a man with a clear career in mind. Her daughter’s father was not interested in full time employment.
“I was with him for five years. He was cheating for two years,” Diamond said. “When stuff is good, you put up with certain things.”
Her ex-boyfriend occasioanlly spends the day with Diamond’s daughter. However, he is still unemployed and is currently living with a new woman.
“That man has a girlfriend with six kids right not. He has one child. His girlfriend gets all types of checks. Welfare checks and disability checks for some of her kids that are disabled. She has no job. She gets $2,500 a month,” Diamond said. “She doesn’t work hard, like some of us out here.”
Diamond has recently started seeing another man.
“My baby daddy didn’t like that because he was my first love. [My ex-boyfriend] busted in my house when I was living with my [new] dude. My [boyfriend] was just chilling there. He opened the door, came in and was like, ‘I want to see my daughter.’ He said he was trying to see my faughter, but he was really just mad because I was living with somebody. [He was] mad because another man was around his child,” Diamond said. “He is still in love with me. He [tells me this] all the time, he still wants me. He’s not doing anything, he’s not on my level. I need somebody right here with me or a little bit above, so we can get somewhere in life.”
Throughout her 23 years, Diamond has learned the importance of having a job. Now that she must provide for her daughter alongside herself, she recognizes this importance more than ever. Nevertheless, she fails to blame her ex-boyfriend for their conflicts, and has remained a good friend of his.
“I see him all the time. We are cool people. I’m the type of person that doesn’t hold grudges,” Diamond said. “You gotta let go what you can’t control. You gotta let it go how it go.”
Although Diamond regrets her choice to not attend a university, she is content with her current lifestyle.
I started in pharmacy tech at St. Louis College of Health Careers, but I just didn’t finish it. I was good at it. I didnt’ have anybody to watch my baby. (so she couldnt work) I didn’t have a car at that time.
He is doing good now. [He has] a condo, new 2016 Malibu. He’s only been here three years and he’s doing better than me. He [is working] at a factory company in St. Peters. He gets paid a nice amount of money. He found a girlfriend, they got engaged. Two heads are better than one.
25:30
Then he got out.
He wanted to know everything.
Father was very excited. Latya was very scared at first
He was 6’4”, darker than me. They called him blue he was so black, that’s his jail name.
I was ten when I [first visited him].
According to Diamond, her father spent the majority of his life on the streets, where he consistently abused a myriad of different illegal substances.
“He told me he was on all the drugs,” Diamond said. “He just wasn’t in the right state of mind, that’s all.”
He is doing good now. [He has] a condo, new 2016 Malibu. He’s only been here three years and he’s doing better than me. He [is working] at a factory company in St. Peters. He gets paid a nice amount of money. He found a girlfirend, they got engaged. Two heads are better than one.
He abused [drugs] all the time. I didn;t get to see him, he was locked up. All his life he was in the streets.
Father was 23 when he went to prison
He had three life sentences.
Good behavior and time served=only 21 years
I used to visit him a few times.
First time I met him he was at Jefferson City, then he went to Bonitare, and then he went to Lincoln.
25:30
Then he got out.
He wanted to know everything.
Father was very excited. Latya was very scared at first
He was 6’4”, darker than me. They called him blue he was so black, that’s his jail name.
I was ten when I [first visited him].
Fathers prison did not affect studies
I don’t think it affected my school studies because my mama was on my head. I was in the honors classes, grades were always good. It didn’t really affect n\m academics. It just affects my mind’s state.
He abused [drugs] all the time. I didn;t get to see him, he was locked up. All his life he was in the streets.
When we get to talking about that stuff, I get a little upset at him. We really don’t get into it that much, when it comes to what he did. I forgive him, but I have some type of regret. He feels like he can’t give [me] that time back, but that he doesn’t owe me [anything]. He owes me the world. That’s the only thing we [dispute].
No father
I am gonna provide for my daughter. Instead of being at home with my child, I gotta be at work. If I don’t work, she don’t eat. My mom is on disability. She had a stroke [three years ago]. And she has diabetes. She still keeps my daughter.
[Moms health issues] stressed me out.
“[I work here] to support my daughter,” Diamond said. “She is expensive.”
She is the security guard
I applied on indeed. I already was doing sdsecurity for about ten months.I just transferred.
She did security at the airport before
People traveling, some much motivation there. People pulling up in bentley trucks. I was security for whelan security.
I am with champion.
Champion has guards at kalids, shop n saVE, SAVE A LOT, ETC.
You can have a party in walmart.
My shift is from 10pm-8m. Ten hour shifts, four days a week.
During the daytime I sleep and take care of my daughter
Daughter is three
3 going on 30
[I work here] to support my daughter. She is expensive. Dont have kids, wrap it up. Wrap it.
WAS SHE AN ACCIDENT??
Mom watches daughter at night
I dont really trust daycares. They be trying to beat your kids.
Not allowed to get defensive or approach, maplewood police comes fast
You better think twice
[I prefer] the nighttime shift so I can take my daughter to school, so I can drop her off, pick her up. If you work day shifts, you never really get to do stuff in the daytime. Grown up things. I’d rather do overnights even though it’s boring. You can’t party.
Also did overnights at airport.
Daughter is at Seagull elementary
South side, ten minute drives
Before my daughter I had all types of jobs. I worked a Five Guys, Sears, Save-a-Lot, a couple nursing homes. Wheverever the money is
When I played volleyball, we were the best. Volleyball, track, basketball. I did not start my jobs until highschool. I had to stop playing volleyball to work.
I was just trying to find something with higher pay. Whelan was paying higher pay. Nobody can survive off 7 [or] 8 dollars in the real world. You need at least ten. If you work overtime, you’d be good.
Why so many jobs?
I was in high school at that time, I needed to get new shoes, hair.
I am 23. I went to Roosevelt [High School]
Why did you choose work over VB?
I do not know. Because I had a boyfriend. He is the father of my child.
No longer together bc he does not have a job
8:50
Post birth:
13:30
I’ve had a million jobs, he is definitely able to [work].
I see him all the time. We are cool people. I’m the type of person that doesn’t hold grudges. You gotta let go what you can’t control. You gotta let it go how it go. Sometimes I am too nice. People take advantage of that.
Regardless of what [my daughters] father is doing, I’m there. That’s all that matters. He spends time with her from time to time. I mostly keep her 24/7.
I got a boyfriend recently. My baby daddy didn’t like that because he was my first love. [My ex-boyfriend] busted in my house before when I was living with my dude. I was giving my daughter a bath before I took her to my moms house. My [boyfirend] was just chilling there. He opened the door, came in and was like, ‘I want to see my daughter.’ He said he was trying to see my faughter, but he was really just mad because I was living with somebody. [He was] mad because another man was around his child. He is still in love with me. He [tells me this] all the time, he still wants me. He’s not doing anuthing, he’s not on my level. I need somebody right here with me or a little bit above, so we can get somewhere in life. We met at 14. I was his first everything. He wasn’t my first. I wasn’t a thot, but I knew what I was doing. I click with dudes a lot. I get where they’re coming from, but he still hurt my heart so I had to let him go. But I can’t judge you for you living your life.
I was an only child. I was homecoming queen in 2012.
Graduated in 2012
I got accepted into three collges, but I didn’t go. I should’ve went. I got accepted into Southern Illinos University at Edwardsville. I was trying so hard to get in there. I got accepted at UMKC, and University of Missouri. I didn’t go because [of my] boyfriend. He didn’t specifically say, ‘no, don’t go,’ but there are distractions. That’s why I have to make a way for my daughter so she won’t have to deal with distractions. She will be more focused on the books. Hopefully.
College in your future?
I started in pharmacy tech at St. Louis College of Health Careers, but I just didn’t finish it. I was good at it. I didnt’ have anybody to watch my baby. (so she couldnt work) I didn’t have a car at that time.
My dad was locked up 21 years in a federal penitentiary. He got out in 2014. He’s been out three years.
They contact each other
We are close. I feel like he is some part of what happened in my life, but I can’t blame him either because he had a life to life too. If my dad was there, I wouldn’t be too focused on boys.
Grew up with just mother, no father
I remember [my mother] being a manager at quiznos, manager at subway. She graduated from high school but she never went to college. We had a house.
When I was 3 months, he got locked up. He told me he had three strikes. He had been in and out of jail all his life. He got locked up for everything you can think of. He had killed somebody, but that’s not what he was locked up for. My daddy was the devil. My daddy is very open with me. He told me he was on all the drugs. He tried every drug. He just wasn’t in the right state of mind, that’s all.
He is doing good now. [He has] a condo, new 2016 Malibu. He’s only been here three years and he’s doing better than me. He [is working] at a factory company in St. Peters. He gets paid a nice amount of money. He found a girlfirend, they got engaged. Two heads are better than one.
[My parents] were never married. They didn’t ge a chance to get married once I was born.
They were 24 with Latiya was born
I was 20 when I had my baby.
Father was 23 when he went to prison
He had three life sentences.
Good behavior and time served=only 21 years
I used to visit him a few times.
First time I met him he was at Jefferson City, then he went to Bonitare, and then he went to Lincoln.
25:30
Then he got out.
He wanted to know everything.
Father was very excited. Latya was very scared at first
He was 6’4”, darker than me. They called him blue he was so black, that’s his jail name.
I was ten when I [first visited him].
Fathers prison did not affect studies
I don’t think it affected my school studies because my mama was on my head. I was in the honors classes, grades were always good. It didn’t really affect n\m academics. It just affects my mind’s state.
He abused [drugs] all the time. I didn;t get to see him, he was locked up. All his life he was in the streets.
When we get to talking about that stuff, I get a little upset at him. We really don’t get into it that much, when it comes to what he did. I forgive him, but I have some type of regret. He feels like he can’t give [me] that time back, but that he doesn’t owe me [anything]. He owes me the world. That’s the only thing we [dispute].
28:55
I network, I talk to a lot of people. Hopefully it is going to get me somewhwer. I want to be a business owner. I want to open up a spa resort. I don’t want it to get that big. I just want it to be a place that people can go for a day, and then leaved.
I see [my daughter] throughout the day. That’s why I like the overnight shift. I’m able to see her more, and interact with her more. When it’s time for her to go to sleep, I’m at work. I get to teach her life things everyday. She knew how to walk at ten months, she was potty traiend by one and a half. I just teach her the best that I can as of right now.
When I was three years old, I wasn’t talking right. She’s been talking since she was one.She is trying to rap.
31:30
I spoil her. That’s why I work hard.
Right now she lives w mother and daughter. Mother gets disability check.
About fathers prison life:
When we get to talking about that stuff, I get a little upset at him. We really don’t get into it that much, when it comes to what he did. I forgive him, but I have some type of regret. He feels like he can’t give [me] that time back, but that he doesn’t owe me [anything]. He owes me the world. That’s the only thing we [dispute].
34:10
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