Staff

*Photo credit: Michael J. Elderman

Public History Director

Audrey Maier, PHD

Audrey Maier is a fifth generation resident of San Bernardino County, growing up in Colton and Loma Linda CA. After studying Art History at the UC, San Diego she received her MA and PhD in History/Public History from UC, Riverside. Her work in the community began shortly after returning to the Inland Empire (I.E.) for graduate school. She was inspired to research her own family’s history as she knew from passed-down stories that the family immigrated to San Bernardino Country from Mexico in 1911. Realizing the gaps in the archives inspired her to create new ones, tapping into community stories, networks, resources, and carefully preserved photographs and ephemera to build out new sources to tell the underrepresented stories of I.E. communities.

Maier has since worked to create alternative community-centered archives, oral history projects, and history exhibitions, working with a number of other Inland Empire cultural organizations to develop K-12 lesson plans, host community festivals and collaborate with local artists on site specific installations.

Previously Maier was a digital and public humanities consultant with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and she also co directs A People’s History of the I.E. Maier will now work with executive director, Sabrina Gonzalez and the board of directors to advance the mission of the Civil Rights Institute across Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

*Photo credit: Michael J. Elderman

Education and Community Outreach Specialist

Shardé Alexander

Shardé Alexander, is a Riverside County native, who was born and raised in Moreno Valley, CA. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Art with a minor in Film. After her studies, she returned home, where she became more involved in her community and received a position as an Education Coordinator at a local museum. During that time she learned more about the lack of resources in her community. This awareness sparked her desire to be involved and influenced her approach towards community-centered programming, partnerships with local organizations, and the development of enriching environments for students.

Her mission is to bridge the gap between youth and accessibility to art. She aims to provide a space for the Inland Southern California region to express their creativity and rebuild the cultural and historical enrichment of the community. Working with members of the region, she is consistently learning about the various cultures that make up the region. Through connections with cultural leaders, to respectfully acknowledge and highlight the subcommunities, she looks to build educational programming and arts workshops that introduces the broader public to the region’s rich history, cultural traditions, and practices.

Currently, Alexander works with the Executive Director to help strengthen CRIISC’s reach. Her duties involve conducting community outreach, deepening engagement, and developing educational programming to broaden impact and teach the history of the Inland Southern California region.

*Photo credit: Michael J. Elderman

Operations Manager

Juan Castellanos

Born and raised in South Bay Los Angeles, Juan Castellanos has long been passionate about community advocacy that is rooted in social justice and built upon a liberatory framework. After graduating from high school, Juan went on to continue their education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where they earned a B.A. in Sociocultural Linguistics and minored in Speech and Hearing Sciences.

In the years that followed, Juan moved to the Inland Empire and began working at a K-12 campus in San Marcos. During this time, Juan had the honor and privilege of serving a diverse community of students and families. This experience reinforced their commitment to working with underserved communities and their belief that radical empathy is a necessary precursor to revolutionary change.

Juan began their time at CRIISC as a volunteer before officially joining the team as an assistant to the Executive Director. Soon after, they took on the role of Diversity Center Coordinator, a shift that allowed them to nurture and strengthen CRIISC’s relationships with its community partners and establish CRIISC as a safe space for important dialogue. Juan now holds the title of Operations Manager and works to intentionally co-create and maintain operational systems that will support the growth and continued success of the organization.