Omanii Abdullah, poet, educator and businessman (performing at the former OnaJava Cafe)
Syracuse is a city of families. On this Throwback Thursday I want to give some dap to the Grace family. Each summer poet, educator and actor Omanii Abdullah sets up his hot dog stand near my office. He’s as famous for his country-style lemonade as he is for his spoken word performances. Omanii has specials at his stand, and one of my favorites is the Uncle Vince. It’s named for his brother Vincent Grace, who sadly passed away a few years ago. Vincent was a karate master who influenced a generation of fighters here in the city.
Sensei Vincent Grace (training at his studio, which was located on South Salina Street back in the day)