By Black Star
June 17, 2026
RIVERSIDE, CA – In a moment when civil rights are being debated in courtrooms, classrooms, and the halls of Congress, one question keeps surfacing in the Inland region: Does The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California still matter? According to Inland Empire residents, community leaders, and the Institute’s own packed calendar, the answer is a resounding YES.
Founded on a vision conceived in 2006 by co-founders Rose Mayes and the late Lalit Acharya, the Institute was incorporated as a nonprofit in 2013. The Civil Rights Institute opened its doors to the public in January 2023.
Located at 3933 Mission Inn Ave. in Riverside, The Civil Rights Institute is the marquee of a 92,000-square-foot development that also provides 72 units of urban workforce housing and serves as the new home of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County.
