Celebrating Black History Month – Week 4: Nia S

At Taco Bell, we believe that we all have the opportunity to drive a positive impact – no matter where or who you are. We also believe that we have people within our Taco Bell family who are making Modern History and will one day be part of the stories we tell for many years to come.

February is Black History Month. What began as a one-week celebration in 1926, has transformed into a month-long celebration of our history filled with stories about Black individuals and communities who triumphed despite incredible odds.

To celebrate and honor Black History Month, every Tuesday in the month of February, we will spotlight one of our very own Taco Bell corporate employees who is making Modern History within the company and/or in their communities.

While we’re telling their stories today, throughout the year, we will continue sharing how our Taco Bell employees across all groups make Modern History; the sharing and celebrating doesn’t stop here.

Week 4

Nia Scott, Taco Bell Shift Lead

Nia has been a part of the Taco Bell family her entire life. Growing up, she experienced Taco Bell's culture through her mother, Janice, who has been a restaurant General Manager since 2014. Once she was old enough, Nia decided to "officially" join the Taco Bell family.

"The love for Taco Bell was implemented in my life before I started working there. After starting, I received so much love and everyone treated me like family," she said.

In 2017, Nia became a Team Member with a passion for growing her career at Taco Bell and has since become a Shift Lead at a Taco Bell Cantina in Washington, DC. Alongside her role at Taco Bell, Nia expertly juggles going to a university while leading local community outreach.

Currently, she is working toward a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Biology on the pre-medical track, in hopes of becoming a mental health psychiatrist. "I want to help people that are dealing with major depression, disorders, schizophrenia and even geriatric psychology like Alzheimer's," she said. Nia is also on the Health Committee Board of Howard University's NAACP Chapter where she leads panels, outreach, and even helped to enact mental health days for students on campus.

As part of her efforts to pursue her education, she has been awarded a $10,000 Team Member Live Más Scholarship from the Taco Bell Foundation to help further her education and community outreach.

Speaking of reaching her community, one of her proudest activities is being a part of the Narcan drive in Washington D.C., helping to distribute lifesaving medicine for those who are at risk of overdosing. She's also heavily involved in the nonprofit organization, Black Girls Vote, which uses advocacy and outreach to transform areas where bias has the most profound impact on Black women's lives.

"We are working within the D.C. area that has a significant Black population and are working on getting them involved and engaged with the voting process and helping inform them."

In the future, Nia hopes to obtain her nursing license, go to medical school and continue working at her local Taco Bell.

Nia is the definition of Making Modern History - she lives it every day. It's inspiring to watch and we're proud to say that Taco Bell will cheer her on as she continues to pursue her passions and drive a positive, ever-lasting impact in this world.

Check back every Tuesday this month to see who else is Making Modern History.