A Billy Dee Williams mustache in 2013?!!? “Yes, yes, and more yes!” This look is so old school it hurts (in that bittersweet nostaglia kind of way)! Lando Calrissian, eat your heart out!

Ajuan Mance

Zocalo Cafe, San Leandro, Ca.

They say that a face can tell a story. I say that the size of someone’s biceps, triceps, and shoulders can tell a story, too. The arms and shoulders on this brother, for example, in the tight-fitting t-shirt, tell the story of someone who spends at least part of his days lifting a lot more than a few cups of coffee.

Ajuan Mance

There are a lot of Black people who participate in East Bay cafe culture. Even though I moved here from Oregon nearly 14 years ago, I still get a thrill from the number of Africans, Afro-Caribbean folks, Afro-Europeans and (of course) African American folks I run into at East Bay coffeehouses. The variety of brothers who came into Zocalo last week was one of the things that got me through the second of two very intense weeks of manuscript preparation. This older gentleman was one of several elderly Black men I noticed during my longest work days. It seemed that every time I started to feel sorry for myself (which is, in itself, a bit self-indulgent), another older Black man would enter the cafe and I would be reminded that any long life involves struggles and celebrations and lots of hard work.

Ajuan Mance

Free Your Mind Festival, San Francisco Public Library.

Ajuan Mance

I wish I’d made note of this guy’s name. At the Free Your Mind Festival book fair he recited his poetry, and it was really quite good. He also stopped by my table and we had a wonderful chat. He was sincere and warm and very laid back. If you were at the Free Your Mind book fair and/or you know the name of this poet, please contact me. I would love to email him a copy of this drawing.

Ajuan Mance

This smart, friendly guy bought a set of my postcards. He was my first big purchase of the day, and it really thrilled me to meet someone was interested not only in purchasing my work, but also in discussing the inspiration and influences behind this series. I don’t know if the visitors to art, book, and ‘zine fests realize how much it meets to us (independent artists and writers) when they really connect with our work. This guy is a perfect example. His sincere interest and good questions–not all of which I could answer–kept me thinking about the artist’s responsibility to the subject for several days after we met.

Ajuan Mance

On the first Saturday in March, I participated in Free Your Mind: A Revolution in Words Literary Festival, at the San Francisco Public Library. There were a number of writers and booksellers present, including the man in this drawing, Bernard Henderson. Bernard was representing Alexander Book Co., where he is the events coordinator and an expert on African American books.

Ajuan Mance

Footlocker at Bayfair Mall, San Leandro, CA.

Ajuan Mance

When this guy walked into the Footlocker in the Bayfair Mall, he definitely turned heads, and not just because of the brightly colored pants and white belt. It was also because he was one of the few men or women any of us had ever seen in a crop top who actually had the abs to carry it off … and then there was also the fact that he was wearing a crop top in early March in the chilly SF Bay Area …

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These two guys came into Zocalo Cafe around lunchtime. I’m not sure what they were reading, but it must have been riveting because they couldn’t take turns with the book–they had to read it together; and even as they were discussing their book, neither guy took his eyes away from it. They’d each ordered a coffee, but I think they completely forgot about their drinks.

Ajuan Mance