Memoir | Hired as an Usher | DAR Constitution Hall | Part II of VI

The modest earnings from my part-time stints at the restaurant and boutique were insufficient to allow me to step out of my mother’s nest and confidently afford an apartment.

To keep the wheels of my career turning, I set my sights on my next job prospects at the Daughter of American Revolution, Constitution Hall, a famed concert hall and a celebrated landmark in Washington, D.C.

Jake, a fellow waiter from the restaurant and a George Washington University student, tipped me off about a job opening at Constitution Hall.

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I hopped on a bus to Constitution Hall and completed a job application. I was hired as an “usher” and was scheduled to work the weekend at the Guns N’ Roses concert.

As an usher, my duties included guiding people to their seats or directing them to various areas within the concert hall.

The job only paid when there was a concert, so it wasn’t a steady source of income.

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I was thrilled to interact with the concertgoers and guide them to their seats at the concert.

The Guns N’ Roses show was predominantly attended by Caucasian teenagers and young adults.

A teen boy with a cherubic face, who seemed to be around 17 years old, asked if he could smoke cannabis in the concert hall. I was taken aback because he was Caucasian, and the local news never reported on them doing drugs.

I smiled at the teenager and informed him that smoking was prohibited inside the concert hall. I suggested that he step outside to smoke his cannabis joint and then return to find his seat. He was very courteous and thanked me. Later, when the teenager returned and asked for help finding his seat, I escorted him there.

Surprisingly, I found myself keeping an eye on him, concerned about his well-being. It was as if a maternal instinct had kicked in, compelling me to look after the teenager.

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The sight of a Caucasian child smoking cannabis truly shocked me!

It shattered my naivety, as I had always believed that they were innocent and never indulged in such substances.

The local news frequently depicted drug use as a problem confined to African American neighborhoods, leading me to think that we were the only ones involved in drug abuse and cannabis dealing.

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Late, that evening, when I discussed this with my mother, she pointed out how society tends to focus on drug-related issues in African American communities while ignoring similar behaviors among Caucasians who partake in similar activities.

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As I matured and developed a deeper insight into substance abuse within the Caucasian community, I found that a significant number of young people leaned towards using pills rather than cannabis. The shocking discovery of their opioid abuse took me by surprise — I had absolutely no idea!

To compare, African American communities have been associated with crack cocaine, cannabis, and phencyclidine (commonly known as PCP or Angel Dust), while Caucasian communities have been linked to opioid use. Ultimately, neither group is different from the other in terms of substance use.

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Serving as an usher at Constitution Hall made me realize that I took pleasure in assisting people to locate their seats and engaging in conversations with everyone.

Working at Constitution Hall opened my eyes to the fact that substance abuse is prevalent across all races!

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Following Mr. Cohen’s recommendation, I chose to take the Office of Personnel Management assessment and evaluation examination. If I successfully pass this exam, I will have the opportunity to secure a full-time job within the federal government, ensuring a stable income!

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(Copyright © 2025 by Mia Z. Edwards. All rights reserved.)