Considering her love of sports and family, it made sense for Nationals guest services usher Lajaun Lawson to move from Silver Spring, MD to Southwest DC six years ago. At the time, the construction of Nationals Park was just wrapping up and she was offered a place to stay next door to her mother and down the street from her brother. It was the perfect situation and six years later, Lawson does not see herself going anywhere.
“Southwest is a great area to be a part of, with the arrival of restaurants, businesses, and housing; in addition, the Nationals have been a great organization to work for and to cheer on. This combination has made it an exciting time for me and others to be a part of this community,” she said.
According to Lawson, the local community means more to her than just a place to live. With all it has given her, she feels the need to give right back. Lawson has done just that with her volunteer work at King Greenleaf Recreation Center, where she tutors kids in various subjects.
“The kids are given the opportunity to play baseball and softball at Greenleaf and attend games at Nationals Park, so they all support and are behind the Nats 100%,” Lawson said
These young fans are not the only ones who have a sense of pride for the Nationals; although they are older and show it in a different way, a great deal of game-day staffers from Southwest have their own love for the team.
She says this group “appreciates the Nationals because a lot of them may have been unemployed before the team came to town, but the team saw fit to give Southwesters jobs and now they wear the Curly ‘W’ with a lot of pride.”
Wearing the Nationals guest services uniform is just one of Lawson’s many hats, as she also works as a concierge at a high-rise condominium and has a management position at the local McDonald’s, all right here in Southwest and just walking distance from her townhouse.
“I challenge myself in everything I do, and I just hope to go even higher and one day become a supervisor at Nationals Park.”
Lawson and her colleagues provide a vital link between the Nationals and the nearby community. Bound to deepen over time, this linkage will provide the team new and exciting opportunities to improve the lives of Southwest residents.
By: Ryan McGlynn