Annals of the Emperors and Empresses of San Francisco: John Weber
Past Emperor of SF John Weber shares their story
“Annals of the Absolute Emperors and Empresses of San Francisco” is a collection of interviews from Empress Juanita MORE!, who reached out to over fifty San Francisco’s Emperors After Norton and Absolute Empresses of the Imperial Council of San Francisco (ICSF) — one of the longest-running LGBTQI+ nonprofits in the country — to learn about each of their accomplishments and involvements during their reign.
John Weber served as the Chair of the Imperial Council of San Francisco Inc., Board of Directors in 2017 during the 50th Anniversary milestone; before that, he served four years as an elected board member.
In December of 2012, John and four other community members were honored by the Black Coalition On AIDS (BCA) for their high level of community fundraising for the San Francisco Bay Area. John’s track record of philanthropy and activism has enriched and inspired the LGBTQI+ community. Weber was named Mr. Gay San Francisco in 2007 with Mercedez Munro as Miss Gay — becoming the first African American pair to serve San Francisco.
Weber’s tenure as Mr. Gay San Francisco focused John’s energies on fundraising and fighting for queer equality, disability rights, access to affordable housing and health care, increased employment benefits and eradicating discrimination on all levels.
In 2008, with the support of San Franciscans from all walks of life, John was elected Emperor XXXVI After Norton, the first African American to achieve that honor. Someday, John hopes to represent this community as an elected member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
I reached out to John Weber to learn more about his accomplishments and involvement during his reign.
Juanita MORE!: What year was your reign as Emperor?
John Weber: Emperor XXXVI After Norton, John Weber, 2008–2009
JM!: What led you to run for Emperor?
JW: I did not see anyone that looked like me in the role of SF Emperor in the Imperial Court. I wanted to prove that I could run the show of an organization that didn’t include a Black gay person. That year, I became the first elected black Emperor of San Francisco. It was the same year that Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. President Obama inspired me to take action.
JM!: What was your proudest accomplishment?
JW: During my year as Emperor in 2008, I wanted to attend an MLK event in the Castro. I shockingly discovered that there were no celebration events to honor the father of the civil rights movement. So I started The Power of One to celebrate MLK’s birthday in the Castro. Like MLK, the power of one can spark a movement. So I wanted to set an example, so I named this annual event — The Power of One. That same year I also started the Imperial versus Ducal event, which has been very successful for many years. I like to reactivate this event for the Court of More Is MORE! Reign.
JM!: What nonprofits did you support during your reign?
JW: During my reign, Black Collision on AIDS (BCA), San Francisco Night Ministry, Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center, Support for Families of Children with Disabilities, Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco, La Raza Community Center, Alexandria Veteran American Legion Post, Native American Network, and the Sunburst Projects
JM!: What are your hopes for the future of the Court?
JW: The most important thing I hope for in the court’s future is that we stop the practice of altruism when we disagree with someone’s diverse opinion. Then, we let go of old, outdated methods that do not work, and we create new traditions and more memories. We must not surrender the rules that make our organization so unique in the world. Instead, we must always acknowledge each other’s contributions to the organization and embrace that we all want the best for the growth and success of ICSF for hundreds of years or longer.
To keep up with Weber’s work, you can follow the Emperor After Norton on his social media handles:
Facebook: @sfjohnjohn
Instagram: @johnjohnsf
To learn more about the Imperial Council of San Francisco, visit imperialcouncilsf.org. Please visit the Imperial Council of San Francisco’s website to donate to the reigning Monarchs Charity Fund.
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