Non-Career Advice is a series that asks people - young, old, and in a range of occupations - for words of wisdom unrelated to work, career-building, dollars, or getting ahead.
Dez'Mon Omega Fair / Painter
Also: Sun king / scavenger / man of many hats
Age: late twenties
Don't take offense to questions — invite them. "I’m used to
people making assumptions about me. It happens all the time, on so many
different levels — based on race, sexuality, looks, gender, the clothes I wear. I used to be very offended by people assuming that I should be
one way or another because of the way I look. They’re shocked that I’m from the
South but don’t speak a certain way, or that I wear the kinds of clothes I wear,
or that I could be an artist. Someone recently told me that I was ‘a new
concept.’ These days, I use being seen as mysterious as a sort of shield or filter
— and it’s reminded me to assume that everyone is multifaceted until
proven otherwise. More often than
not, questions about 'what I am' open up an interesting dialogue that’s helped me
learn more about people, as they learn more about me. On top of everything,
I’ve realized that I don’t want to be someone who’s easily figured out. So I
invite the questions — I’m not offended by them anymore."
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Thank you so much, Dez. More from the Non-Career Advice series, here. (Also, you can read my interview with Dez for FvF, here.) Photograph by Jane Houle.
Made me think this morning. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteloved this one. what a cool series.
ReplyDeletewhat a great advice. it makes me think that how sometimes i'm afraid to ask questions, but actually it takes courage too to welcome them
ReplyDeleteWise.
ReplyDeleteNiken, yes. Well said!
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Dez! wonderful advice.
ReplyDeleteI feel like every time I visit your site my brain explodes from the awesomeness! Thanks Shoko for the rad series and Dez for advice :)
ReplyDeleteLove this.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much I love this.
ReplyDelete