Homegrown Heroes: Riverside's Civil Rights Leaders Honored in New Exhibit

The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, located at 3933 Mission Inn Ave., opened in 2022 with a mission to share the stories of the people and movements involved in the struggle for civil rights, with a particular focus on Inland Southern California. On Thursday, September 26, at 6:00 p.m., the Institute will host “Homegrown Heroes: The Story of Civil Rights in Southern California”.

This bilingual exhibition and oral history project highlights the stories of 25 local leaders, focusing on issues of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, gender, and national origin. 

The exhibition also includes an oral history project launched to preserve hundreds of untold stories from the region’s civil rights history, ensuring they are available for future generations. This initiative was made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Creative Corps Inland SoCal, dedicated to investing in the region's civil rights narratives.

Sabrina Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Institute, said, "We are thrilled to showcase this exhibition to the community. It ties together everything we are—people and story-centered—while looking to the past to build a better future."

Homegrown Heroes honorees:

• Lalit Acharya – Co-founder of the Civil Rights Institute and key figure in Riverside’s international relations, including the Gandhi statue project and the Long Night of Arts and Innovation.
• Maria and Antonio Ayala – Immigrant rights activists and founders of TODEC, who have fought for labor and immigrant justice in both the U.S. and Mexico.
• Chani Beeman – Advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and feminist causes, and a leader in promoting police accountability in Riverside.
• Pete Benavidez– Founder of Blindness Support Services, dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities and championing Latino community issues.
• Robert Bland – The first Black undergraduate at the University of Virginia and an instrumental leader in Riverside’s school desegregation efforts.
• Jane Block – Environmentalist and advocate for children’s services, a key player in the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan.
• Bernell Butler – Reverend and activist who led protests and reforms following the tragic murder of Tyisha Miller in Riverside.
• Phyllis Clark– Founder of Healthy Heritage, working to address mental and physical health disparities in the Black community.
• Carolyn “Connie” Confer Former assistant city attorney in Riverside, defeated the movement to put an anti-gay measure on the ballot, and founder of PACE and the Inland AIDS
• Richard T. Fields  The first Black judge appointed in Riverside County, later serving on the 4th District Court of Appeals.
• Eloise Gomez Reyes The first Latina to open her own law firm in the Inland Empire, later became the Majority Leader of the California State Assembly, the first Latina and only the fourth woman to hold the position.
• Katie Greene Retired USAF Major, retired nurse practitioner, and lawyer. Involved in local organizations including The Group, Riverside African American Historical Society, and the Eleanor Jean Grier Leadership Academy.
• Ben Jáuregui Disability and senior advocate. Founder of the Inland Empire Disabilities Collaborative, a partnership between IEHP, Community Access Center and PossAbilities of Loma Linda University.
• Gabriel “Gabe” Maldonado Founder and CEO of TruEvolution, an organization that fights for health equity and racial justice to advance the quality of life and dignity of LGBTQ+ people. Served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.
• Rosa Martha Zárate Macías Former nun and social justice advocate for former braceros. She uses her talents as a musician, singer, and songwriter to propel the immigrant rights movement.
• Rose Mayes – A co-founder of the Civil Rights Institute and a key advocate for housing rights, who has been a pillar of community service for over 30 years.
• Virginia Phillips US District Judge for the Central District of California, nominated by Bill Clinton. Phillips was the judge who ruled that the U.S. Department of Defense's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was unconstitutional in 2010.
• Benita Ramsey Pastor at Unity Fellowship Church and active LGTBQ+ social and health justice advocate. Executive Director at Rainbow Pride Youth Alliance and 2022 grand marshal of the Palm Springs Pride Parade.
• Ernest and June Siva Dedicated, through the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, to "save and share" the Serrano language, history, and musical traditions.
• Vivian Stancil Founder of the Vivian Stancil Olympian Foundation. Former teacher and now competitive senior swimmer committed to reducing incidents of drowning and promoting water safety.
• Mark Takano – Congressman representing California’s 39th district, and the first openly gay person of color elected to the U.S. Congress.
• Ofelia Valdez-Yaeger (1947-2024) Community organizer in Riverside, California. Active in supporting UCR, founder of Latino Network, key supporter of The Cheech and many other organizations.
• Judy White Trailblazing Black educator and administrator. The first Black superintendent of Moreno Valley School District and the first female Riverside County Office of Education Superintendent, founder of MOSAIC, an organization creating community among women educators.
• Deborah Wong Ethnomusicologist and professor in Southeast Asian Studies and Asian American Studies at UCR, active in the preservation of Riverside's Chinatown and a leader of the movement to establish the Community Police Review Commission after Tyisha Miller's murder.
• Elvis Zornoza Deaf advocate with the Center on Deafness Inland Empire. He is a sports content creator and social media influencer and president of the United States Deaf Ski and Snowboard Association.

More information on the Homegrown Heroes exhibit and the Civil RIghts Institute of Inland Southern California is available at their website and their Instagram page.