LIFE IN MONOCHROME

Aku hidup dalam warna.
Ribuan warna kromatik yang memberikan berjuta efek dalam hidup
Tapi Aku hitam dan putih.
Jadi bukan salah mata kalian melihatnya tanpa warna.
Karena aku mono. Monokromatik.

Segala yang berwarna membuat mereka tidak mampu mempercayai hitam dan putihku/
Memang bukan untuk dipercaya.
Tapi hanya agar mereka tau, aku ini mono.
Aku si hitam putih yang seringkali berlindung dalam topeng keseharianku.
Kepalsuan yang tidak merugikan siapapun.

Tapi kemudian kata mereka : terus mau apa karena mono?
Minta diratapi? Dikasihani dan di iba-i?
BUKAAAANNNNNNNNNNNN!!!! Teriakku.
Aku hanya ingin kalian tau warna ku.
Ya kalau orang-orang sudah tau mau apa?
Dikasihani? Diratapi dan di iba-i? IYA?
Bukaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn *sedikit mau nangis*

Hhfff. Tapi mereka benar. Lalu kenapa setelah tau warna ku
Mau apa? Apa tujuannya?
Apa mau di iba-i? iya??
BUKANNNNNN… *benar-benar geram akhirnya*
HHFF…

Mereka benar, kenapa harus aku memberi taukan kepada mereka semua warna ku, apa yang ingin aku dapatkan setelah itu?
Apa karena aku sudah lelah meratapi diriku kemudian minta diratapi.
TIDAAKKK……!!!!!!!!!

AKU HANYA TAKUT


To the blacks browns reds and yellows periwinkles teals and fuchsias, if you want to be in advertising, there is one thing to remember.

Don't be afraid.

of hard work, rejection, racism, responsibility, sexism.
don't be afraid of being the only one in the room.
don't be afraid to ask question, find answers. listen. hear. trust.
don't be afraid to follow. dont be afraid to lead.
don't be afraid to learn. to grow. to mature. to change.
don't be afraid to try. to fail. to try again. fail again. tray again and fail again. dont be afraid to ask for help.
don't be afraid to be smart. clever. witty. funky. hard. street. elegant. beautiful. you.
don't be afraid to be fired.
don't be afraid when you hear the word nigger.
don't be afraid to remind them that right after the black jokes come the jewish jokes the polish jokes and the fat jokes.
don't be afraid to master the craft. to master the game.
don't be afraid when they don't understand your accent, dialect, or slang. your heroes, your sex symbols. your style. your music. your people. your culture. your you.
don't be afraid to take criticism.
don't be afraid to be wrong. to be right.
don't be afraid to speak your mind. stand up for what you believe and pay the consequences.
don't be afraid to be a team player. don't be afraid to be the peon. the rookie. the junior. the helper. the pair of hands. the intern. the student.
don't be afraid to not be the victim. don't be afraid to not take it personally.don't be afraid to call a spade a spade.
don't be afraid to have a personality. an opinion. a point of view. a perspective. an objective. a positive attitude.
don't be afraid of those who are threatened by your presence. or feel you don't belong. or those who need you to fail for them to succeed.
don't be afraid to understand the difference between racism and insecurity. between racism and power. between racism and chauvinism.
don't be afraid to forgive. to apologize. to be humble.
don't be afraid to surrender. to win. to lose. to fight.
don't be afraid of titles, awards. salaries. egos. offices. windows. ponytails. clothes. jewelry. degrees. backgrounds. lifestyles. cars. bench houses.
don't be afraid to compete.
don't be afraid of not being popular.
don't be afraid to work weekends. holidays. birthdays. sick days. personal days.
don't be afraid to work twice as hard. twice as long. twice as good.
don't be afraid to get more out of this business than this business ever intended on giving.



Charles Hall
African american copywriter & film director


p.s. and under no circumstances whatsoever are you to be intimidated. because some will try.