Over 500 people attended the Imperial Court’s “Coronation XXXIV: A Military Ball” for the crowning of the Imperial Court de San Diego’s emperor and empress XXXIV, which took place downtown at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza Hotel last Saturday. Nathan Garcia was elected as the next emperor and local drag performer Ophelia became the new empress. Voting took place during the ball.

“I feel honored that I got elected,” said Garcia. “I’m very grateful that people believe in me.”

Garcia and Ophelia will spend the next year raising funds for various charities and representing the Imperial Court de San Diego across the country.

“I think that Nathan and I have a ton of very new and fresh ideas,” said Ophelia. “We want to raise awareness and basically we’re going to spend time educating on different aspects of the community.”

Mayor Toni Atkins and mayoral candidates Donna Frye and Jerry Sanders attended Coronation.

Coronation also honors community activists with “royal titles.” This year’s honorees included Atkins, who was given a special proclamation and recognition as a czarina, along with Linda Childers, former board chair of the Imperial Court de San Diego. Ben Dillingham III and San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty were elevated to czars.

AJ Davis, director of public policy at The Center, received the Queen Eddie Memorial Award for outstanding humanitarianism. Alberto Cortez of Mama’s Kitchen, Center board member Kevin Tilden and David Huskey were inducted into the Imperial family. Ono Sushi received the Alma Vasic Business of the Year Award, while Astray David was honored with the Empress Tawny Tann Award.

The guest of honor for the evening was Empress Jose Sarria, the founder of the Imperial Court System. Empress Jose proclaimed Empress Nicole Murray-Ramirez as the queen mother of the International Court System for Murray-Ramirez’s leadership and activism on behalf of the GLBT and court communities. This year’s Coronation was the 30th anniversary since Murray-Ramirez was crowned as an empress.

“I didn’t know she was going to do that,” said Murray-Ramirez. “I was very honored and humbled by that. I hope that Jose is around a long time before I assume the responsibilities of this title.”

The previous court, headed by Emperor XXXIII Chris Horton and Empress XXXIII Lala Too, raised approximately $86,800 for charity during their 2004-05 reign.

Agencies and organizations that received Imperial Court grants this year include: The Center, the Live and Let Live Alano Club, APICAP, PROCABI, ACOSIDA, Bienestar, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego, the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, Equality California, Home Start, Ebony Pride, San Diego LGBT Pride, Stepping Stone, Being Alive, Ordinary Miracles, Los Chabacanos of San Diego County, the Scott Carlson Thanksgiving Dinner, Casa Hoger de la Mona, Border Angels, University of Oregon, Leather Archive, the Coco LaChine Scholarship Fund, the Nicole Murray-Ramirez Student Scholarship Program, the Benjamin F. Dillingham III Community Grant, the GLBT Community Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, the Toni Atkins Lesbian Health Fund, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the San Diego Police Fund, Central Cultural de la Raza, Alpha Kappa Kappa, FilmOut San Diego, Family Matters and the Tijuana AIDS Fund.

The Imperial Court is now in its 34th year of community service and has chapters in 68 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.