Civil Rights Institute Receives Riverside Hero Award from Chamber

The Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce will honor the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California with the 2026 Riverside Hero Award at the Mayor's State of the City Address on Jan. 28.

The award recognizes organizations or individuals who have made significant contributions promoting Riverside at the state or national level. The chamber selected CRIISC for its work preserving civil rights history and offering year-round educational programming throughout Riverside County.

CRIISC serves as a cultural and educational institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the region's civil rights history. The institute connects residents to local stories through exhibitions, oral histories and community programming.

Recent exhibitions include "Building Our Region's Korean Communities," which highlighted Riverside as home to America's first Koreatown and celebrated Korean American pioneers' contributions. The "Homegrown Heroes" exhibition featured oral histories from 25 local civil rights leaders representing diverse backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, disability rights and immigrant advocacy.

The institute's programming aims to educate residents about historical civil rights movements while strengthening community connections across different backgrounds.

Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson will present the award during her "Leveling Up" State of the City Address at the Riverside Convention Center. Several hundred business and community members are expected to attend the event.

The Riverside Hero Award joins other honors presented annually by the chamber recognizing contributions to the city's civic and economic life.

More information: The State of the City Address will be held Thursday, Jan. 28, 2026, at the Riverside Convention Center. For information on attending or sponsoring, contact Bryan Pratt at bpratt@riverside-chamber.com or 951-683-7100 ext. 243.