By Nyla Glover | Black Voice News
July 23, 2026
At a moment when civil rights are heavily debated in classrooms, courtrooms, and the halls of Congress, a single question frequently resurfaces throughout the inland region: Is the Civil Rights Institute (CRI) of Inland Southern California still relevant? According to Inland Empire residents, civic leaders, and the Institute’s own thriving calendar of events, the answer is a resounding . . . yes!
Though the CRI was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2013, it was founded on a shared vision in 2006, by Rose Mayes and the late, Lalit Acharya. About a decade after this incorporation, the Institute opened its doors to the public in January 2023.
Only three years following its opening, the CRI was named a “Riverside Hero” at Riverside’s Annual State of the City Address in January 2026. Receiving this title serves as a force of recognition, acknowledging the growth of the organization’s footprint in the region’s civic life.
