Civil Rights Institute Inland Southern California

Calling all IE teachers and educators
2026-02-28 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, Bank of America Diversity Center, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 102, Riverside, 92501
Visit us on Saturday, February 28 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM to learn about local history lesson plans and resources for K-12 Ethnic Studies and History-Social Studies Classrooms created by the IE Stories Team. Join us for this FREE educational event, meet with the teachers who created these lessons, and explore local archival materials that you can incorporate into your lessons.

1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture
2026-03-27 18:30 - 22:00 | CA
Small changes can create big impacts. Our next program examines how a single word helped shape decades of belief. Join us Friday, March 27 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM for a screening of 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture followed by a panel discussion. This film, first released in 2022, explores how a specific mistranslation of the Bible in the 1940s inadvertently fueled the anti-LGBTQ+ movement in Christianity. Be a part of the bigger discussion by signing up here.

History of Section 14: Memory, Justice, and Community
2026-03-28 13:30 - 16:00 | CA
Stories of resilience deserve to be heard! Join us for a powerful conversation with survivors and descendants of the Palm Springs Section 14 demolition, destruction, and displacement. Moderated by Monet Warren and joined by panelists Betty Taylor Mayfield, Deiter Crawford, and Dr. Robert D. Jiles, who will share stories of lived experiences, attempts of erasure, and the resilience of Black and Latinx communities whose narratives continue to shape our region.

United Farmworkers Day
2026-03-31 11:00 - 14:00 | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 103, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Special open hours! In recognition of Farmworker Day, CRIISC will be open on Tuesday, March 31, from 11 AM – 2 PM!
Stop by to view our FREE exhibition Out in the l.E., which honors the LGBTQ+ community’s impact in Riverside and San Bernardino counties! Take a FREE tour, have some fun with our interactive scavenger hunt, and create artwork inspired by farmworkers in our kids’ craft corner.
NOW is your chance to come and learn some I.E. history.
See you soon!

Layers of Me: Painting Our Truths
2026-04-18 13:00 - 16:00 | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, Bank of America Diversity Center, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 102, Riverside, 92501
Come create, explore, and express yourself at this FREE, family-friendly art workshop on Saturday, April 18 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM! Hosted in collaboration with the Riverside Community Arts Association and local artist Perry Picasshoe, this welcoming program invites participants of all ages and skill levels to reimagine self-portraiture beyond tradition. Explore how portraiture can reflect identity, visibility, and self-perception through color, abstraction, symbolism, and mood, painting not just how you look, but how you feel and exist in the world. No experience needed, just bring your curiosity and creativity! Be a part of the fun by signing up here!

Out in the I.E. Poetry Night
2026-04-26 16:00 - 19:30 | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, Bank of America Diversity Center, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 102, Riverside, 92501
In recognition of National Poetry Month, CRIISC is excited to present Out in the I.E. Poetry Night in collaboration with the IE LGBTQ+ Center, a free, community-centered evening of powerful expression, storytelling, and connection. Join us on Sunday, April 26 from 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM for a dynamic gathering of voices where poets and community members are invited to share, listen, and celebrate lived experiences through spoken word. Come be part of a night that uplifts creativity, identity, and authenticity, creating room for both seasoned performers and first-time readers to take the stage or simply soak in the energy. Join us by signing up here!

Know Your Rights: Pride in Protection
2026-05-24 11:00 - 14:00 | CA
Knowledge is power, know your rights, protect your future! Join us on Sunday, May 24 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM, doors open at 10:30 AM for our FREE Know Your Rights: Pride in Protection, in conversation with the Inland Counties Legal Services and the Human Rights Coalition. Stop by early to take a peak at our exhibition, Out in the I.E. before diving into an important program focused on empowering LGBTQ+ community members with the knowledge and tools to navigate their rights in today’s shifting social and legal landscape. Be a part of the conversation by signing up HERE!

CRIISC Special Open Hours plus check us out at Riverside PRIDE
2026-05-30 12:00 - 17:00 | CA
Celebrate Riverside PRIDE with us at CRIISC as we open our doors for special open hours! If you haven’t had the chance to visit yet, now is the perfect time to experience our Out in the I.E exhibition. Stop by CRIISC Saturday, May 30 from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM, before or after checking out 4th Annual Riverside Pride Festival: Stonewall Lives!; explore, take a FREE tour, have fun with our FREE scavenger hunt. Come be a part of a space dedicated to visibility, reflection, and community. We look forward to seeing you!

Songs of Freedom: Music of Resistance & Joy
2026-06-19 11:00 - 16:00 | CA
Rejoice in the music that guided the way! In honor of Juneteenth join CRIISC on Friday, June 19th from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM for special open hours, featuring a FREE kids’ craft corner hosted by The Black Arts Museum and a FREE scavenger hunt for all ages. Stay with us as we continue the celebration from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM with a FREE performance by Empower You Edutainment, highlighting the powerful role of music in Black history.

Out in Print!
2026-06-28 12:00 - 16:00 | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 103, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Zines preserve history! Join us Sunday, June 28, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM as CRIISC presents a FREE zine workshop in collaboration with Frankie Guttierrez. Using copies of exhibition materials, participants will reimagine and reassemble the moments that resonated the most. By cutting, pasting, and remixing them into a zine of their own making! Stop by and take away some memories!

Banished Citizens: Community Stories & Conversation!
2026-07-25 11:00 - 13:30 | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 103, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
We are inviting those who were impacted to join a community conversation inspired by Banished Citizens: A History of the Mexican American Women Who Endured Repatriation. A book that explores the forced removal of people of Mexican descent from the United States during the 1930s termed as “the repatriation”.

Have you or someone in your community have been affected by the Mexican Repatriations of the 1930s?
Do you carry stories of displacement, deportation, or forced removal from your home?
Have you experienced or witnessed land loss, exclusion, or community erasure?
Have you or your family experienced loss of any kind as a result of this experience.

Join us as we learn about this challenging period, share stories, and honor the experiences of those impacted!

Challenge Your Perspective of Photography with Sight Unseen Reframed
2026-08-27 17:30 - 20:00 | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 103, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
The wait is almost over! Join us for the opening of Sight Unseen Reframed on Thursday, August 27, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM (doors open at 5:30 PM) at The Civil Rights Institute.
Curated by the late Doug McCulloh, Sight Unseen Reframed brings together the photographic work of California-based blind and visually impaired photographers, inviting visitors to reconsider how we understand sight, perception, and artistic expression. Through compelling imagery and personal perspectives, the exhibition offers an opportunity to experience photography from new points of view while celebrating the creativity, innovation, and lived experiences of blind artists.
We’re not done though! As part of our ongoing commitment to expanding accessibility across our exhibitions and programs, Sight Unseen Reframed incorporates new ways for visitors to engage with the artwork. Inspired by the artists and works featured in the exhibition, we are exploring accessible approaches and technologies throughout the gallery, including full exhibition text in braille, cane-detectable floor indicators, and 3D tactile reliefs of select artworks. These elements offer visitors new ways to experience and connect with art beyond traditional visual interpretation.
We invite you to join us for this special opening as we celebrate the photographers who have challenged traditional approaches to photography and honor the vision and legacy of Doug McCulloh.
Take your time with the photographs, explore the exhibition through its accessible elements, and consider how your own understanding of photography might shift when you experience it beyond sight.
We look forward to welcoming you to Sight Unseen Reframed.

Sight Unseen Reframed Exhibition
2026-08-28 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-02 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-03 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-04 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-09 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-10 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-11 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-16 12:00 - 17:00 and 10 more dates | Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, 3933 Mission Inn Ave., Suite 103, Riverside, CA, 92501, United States
Curated by the late Doug McCulloh, Sight Unseen Reframed brings together the photographic work of California-based blind and visually impaired photographers, inviting visitors to reconsider how we understand sight, perception, and artistic expression. Through compelling imagery and personal perspectives, the exhibition offers an opportunity to experience photography from new points of view while celebrating the creativity, innovation, and lived experiences of blind artists.
