Today we’d like to introduce you to LaTonya Robinson.
Hi LaTonya, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
LaTanya Robinson – Speaker | Mentor | Advocate for Foster Youth & Faith-Based Empowerment
Born on May 12, 1987, LaTonya Robinson’s life began with unimaginable challenges. Raised alongside her twin sister and older brother, she lost her mother to violence at the age of one and was placed in the care of her grandmother, who struggled with addiction. Growing up without basic necessities—often without food, water, electricity, or a working bathroom—LaTonya faced hardships that many couldn’t imagine.
At age eight, she entered Michigan’s foster care system, where she and her twin sister and older brother would remain until aging out at 18. Despite cycling through group homes and foster placements—some loving, others deeply painful—LaTonya held onto the belief that her story didn’t have to end in brokenness. Through the darkness, she found glimmers of hope in the people who poured into her and the lessons she learned along the way.
LaTanya spent years searching for belonging and healing, often falling into people-pleasing and trying to fix what she didn’t break. But the turning point came when she made the greatest decision of her life: giving her life to Christ in 2023. Since then, her journey has been one of transformation, purpose, and deep faith.
Now a proud board member of Classy Chit Chat, a Christ-centered nonprofit founded by Brittany, LaTanya is committed to empowering Gen Z girls with life skills, love, and truth. Her mission is to help young women rise above their circumstances by showing them that with Christ at the center, anything is possible
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Childhood & Family Challenges
Loss of a parent to violence at an early age
Raised by a grandmother who struggled with alcoholism
Lived in poverty without basic necessities (no food, running water, electricity, or working toilets)
Experienced instability and neglect in the home
Foster Care System
Entered foster care at age 8 and aged out at 18
Lived in multiple placements, including group homes
Faced emotional and psychological trauma from both pre- and post-placement environments
Witnessed or experienced mistreatment in certain foster homes
Constantly adjusting to new homes, schools, and expectations
Struggled with feeling unwanted, abandoned, or misunderstood
Emotional & Internal Battles
Struggled with people-pleasing and trying to “fix” things that were not her fault
Carried the weight of trauma, identity confusion, and abandonment
Battled with low self-worth and the pressure to “fit in”
Made tough life choices while searching for love, stability, and purpose
Turning Point & Transformation
Struggled with brokenness until surrendering her life to Christ in 2023
Learned to replace shame and pain with healing and faith
Took the courageous step of using her story to help others
Now serves as a mentor and role model for young girls through Classy Chit Chat
As for our organization the biggest challenge is finding the girls to come in to our in person sessions
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Community Outreach and Social Media Specialists
LaTonya Robinson is a passionate advocate for personal growth, mentorship, and faith-based empowerment. Born and raised on the eastside of Detroit, Michigan, she faced early challenges, losing her mother at just one year old and entering the foster care system at the age of eight. She aged out of foster care at 19, carrying with her a deep commitment to helping others, particularly young girls in need of guidance and support.
In 2023, LaTonya gave her life to Christ, and since then, she has been fully devoted to serving Him. She believes that true transformation comes through faith and that, while nothing is possible without Christ, everything is possible with Him. Through her work with Classy Chick Chat and Next Gen Girls, she strives to inspire, uplift, and equip young girls with the tools they need to succeed while keeping God at the center of their lives.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Being on this journey and having the opportunity to pour into young girls is truly an honor.
I met Brittany Watson, the founder of Classy Chick Chat, at church. From the moment she introduced herself, she began mentoring and guiding me. She believed in me before I fully believed in myself—she saw something in me that I was struggling to see in my own reflection.
When she asked me to join her nonprofit, I was incredibly honored, but I also felt scared. I kept asking myself, Why me? But then I realized—Why not me?
Even though my story is heartbreaking, it’s not unique. It’s the reality for so many of our young people, especially girls. That’s why I can relate to their heartache, their confusion, and their pain. But I’m also living proof that greater is coming. If you believe in yourself, surround yourself with people who lift you up, and keep your faith, everything is possible—no matter your circumstances.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://classychickchat.org
- Email: Latonyarobinson04@gmail.com
- Facebook: classychickchat
- LinkedIn: Classy Chick Chat
- Twitter: classychickchat
