Here’s another drawing from my recent flu shot trip to Kaiser Oakland. This man was standing in the lobby across from the elevators at the Fabiola building. We made eye contact for an extended moment, and I am not sure if his was a gaze of approval or curiosity (wondering, perhaps, how someone with such a young face could have so much gray hair). I do know, however, that he was still staring as I boarded the elevator for the third floor.
Ajuan Mance
This is the happy guy who gives out the yellow flu shot form and clipboard at Kaiser Oakland. If you run into him on the third floor of the Oakland Medical Center, tell him to check out drawing #664 on 8-Rock dot com.
Ajuan Mance
This is a quick sketch I did on a napkin while I was waiting for my burger at Scolari’s Alameda.
Ajuan Mance
Another face from my amazing day of sewer inspection!
Ajuan Mance
This guy was waiting beside me at the rental counter in the High Street Home Depot. He was renting some sort of tree stump crushing equipment. I was looking to rent a motorized sewer snake … until the very nice elderly man behind the counter explained that the machine I needed would never fit into the trunk of my car.
Ajuan Mance
Ever since I completed my Black Santa ‘zine, I’ve been hyper aware of those older brothers who have Black Santa potential. This man was shopping at the Berkeley Bowl on one of those warm pre-Christmas shopping days that blew through the Bay Area last week. He was wearing a dark v-neck T-shirt that showed off his impressively muscular upper-body. If Black Santa was a body builder, he’d probably look like this guy.
Ajuan Mance
Before there was Megyn Kelly’s declaration that Santa and Jesus are both white, there was A Blues for Black Santa.
No, seriously.
Imagine my surprise when, less than a week after I debuted this ‘zine (at the East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Fest, the Megyn Kelly white Santa story hit the news. I cannot say that my piece is a response to the rantings of this Fox News reporter, but I have enjoyed its unexpected timeliness.
A Blues for Black Santa is a humorous appeal for recognition from Black Santa himself, told in rhyme.
To read the whole A Blues for Black Santa ‘zine, follow THIS LINK.
To buy the ‘zine, go to my ETSY store. The centerfold of the paper version is a full-color 11″ x 17″ Black Santa fashion poster.
One more thing: If you want to leave Black Santa a snack, he’s willing to accept cookies and milk, but what he really would love is a nice big slice of pound cake and a tall, cold glass of sweet tea.
Ajuan Mance
I was going through my summer sketchbooks to make sure I hadn’t overlooked any drawings, and I came across this picture. I did this one during the mandatory information session for float monitors at San Francisco Pride. The man in this drawing was one of literally hundreds of attendees who showed up for the training and information session held at the Bench and Bar in downtown Oakland.
Ajuan Mance
Kinko’s, Emeryville, CA.
Ajuan Mance
Starbucks at Palma Plaza, San Leandro, CA.
Ajuan Mance