Monetta White: The Restaurateur Who Became MoAD’s Visionary Leader

Monetta White grew up in San Francisco’s Fillmore District at a time when it was known as the “Harlem of the West” — a vibrant hub of Black culture, jazz, and community. By the time she was an adult, much of that legacy had been paved over by redevelopment and gentrification.

She decided to build something to bring it back.

In 2007, White and her husband, chef David Lawrence, opened 1300 on Fillmore, a restaurant that paid homage to the neighborhood’s rich musical and cultural history. It wasn’t just a restaurant — it was a statement that Black Fillmore still mattered. But White’s impact on Bay Area cultural life was just getting started.

She had been involved with the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) since it opened in 2005, helping raise more than $3.5 million for the institution. When the museum needed an interim director in 2019, the board turned to White. She was terrified, she’ll tell you — but she took the job anyway. After three months, everyone agreed she was the right person for it. In December 2019, she became MoAD’s permanent Executive Director and CEO.

Her timing was challenging, to say the least. Months after she stepped into the role, the pandemic shut down in-person operations. But White pivoted hard: MoAD’s programming went virtual, reaching audiences as far as London and South Africa. The museum’s open mic night, artist talks, and community discussions found a global audience at a moment when the world was finally, urgently paying attention to Black voices.

Under White’s leadership, MoAD has remained a vital space for the African diaspora — a place where art, culture, and conversation intersect. The museum has partnered with San Francisco and Oakland school districts, launched residency programs, and continued amplifying Black artists and thinkers at a time when their work matters most.

“San Francisco needs MoAD,” White has said. “It’s one of the last places in the city where African-American community members can go to engage with Black culture and thought.”

White is proof that cultural leadership doesn’t always come from art historians with traditional museum backgrounds. Sometimes it comes from a restaurateur who loves her city enough to fight for its soul.

Photo: Monetta White. Courtesy of Museum of the African Diaspora (via Artforum)

Quick Facts

• Role: Executive Director & CEO, Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)
• Before museums: Founded 1300 on Fillmore, a restaurant honoring SF’s “Harlem of the West”
• Fundraiser: Helped raise $3.5M+ for MoAD since its 2005 opening
• The pivot: Handed crisis -— MoAD went virtual during the pandemic, reaching London and South Africa
• Hometown: Grew up in San Francisco’s Fillmore District
• Mission: “San Francisco needs MoAD… the last place where African-American community members can engage with Black culture and thought”