Due to the impact of COVID-19, our Ethnic & Gender campus locations are closed until further notice. Our staff is working remotely and available to support you along your Highlander journey. We look forward to being back on campus and supporting you in-person. Please continue to wash your hands, wear a face covering, and maintain physical distance.

African Student Programs

It takes an entire campus to graduate a scholar

Our Community

Our Village: a Directory of Community Partners

A village of community resources surrounds you, from alumni-owned businesses to supportive resources and service organizations.

"It takes teamwork to make the dream work"

– Brian Bingham

 

ASP - Community
  • Alumni-Owned Businesses

    Bre Dance Studio
    3641 9th Street, Riverside, CA 92501
    (951) 787-8707

    This dance studio features jazz, ballet, hip-hop, tap, and modern classes. Many former students have earned scholarships to prestigious dance schools and have gone on to become professional dancers. Talented alumnus Clifford Breland (Bre) founded the studio with Ronald K. Nelson in 1988 and is the studio’s artistic director.

    The Frazier Group
    3739 6th Street, Riverside, CA 92501
    (951) 686-5261

    This real estate group specializes in properties in Riverside and Orange counties and is comprised of valued UC Riverside alumni and friends.

    Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce (IEAACC)

    The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to promote the economic and professional development of African American-owned businesses, thus enhancing the quality of life in our community. Founded in 1989, the Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce is a voice in the Inland Empire, providing advocacy to the businesses, professionals, and families located in the communities it serves.

    Michael Ferrera Custom Clothing
    (323) 362-6322 or (877) 901-8159

    Creative designer and alumnus Michael Ferrera owns this fine tailoring clothing company. The company creates customized men’s business suits, dress shirts, golf pants, blazers, and accessories such as high-quality men’s neckwear.

  • Alumni Resources

    UCR Black Alumni Chapter
    Join @UCRBlack Instagram page.

    Join UCR Mailing List
    We are the living memory of the Black experience at UCR! Subscribe & stay up to date.

    Join the Official UCR Alumni Association

  • Black Student Experience Working Group (BSEWG)

    See what UC Riverside is doing to elevate its Black student experience. Learn more about BSEWG.

  • Community Activism Resources

    NAACP
    Riverside Branch: (951) 324-9603
    Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.

    Southern Christian Leadership Conference
    Riverside Branch: (951) 616-0885
    The Southern Christian Leadership Conference works to promote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolent progressive social change.

    Riverside All of Us or None
    Email: riversideallofusornone@gmail.com
    Facebook: facebook.com/RivAOUON

    The Eastside Reconciliation Coalition

    Riverside Kappa League

    100 Black Men of the Inland Empire

  • Educational Resources

    Young Black Scholars
    (310) 287-7228

    Young Black Scholars is a comprehensive college preparatory program for African American and other minority high school students. The program brings together some of the best and brightest future leaders to participate in more than 40 workshops, programs, seminars, and conferences throughout the academic school year.

    Riverside City College
    (951) 222-8000

    This nearby community college offers a wide range of classes.

    Stratton Community Center
    (951) 826-5355

    The Stratton Community Center is home to the SOAR elementary school tutoring program, an African Americans United in Science outreach program.

    Street Positive
    (909) 895-3765

    Street Positive introduces effective new formats to connect teens and parents to important issues. Approaches involve community outreach campaigns, live and media broadcast forums, focus groups, lecturers, and speaking engagements on fatherhood, mentorship, at-risk youth, incarceration, economic transformations, and education.

    The Du Bois Institute
    (973) 720-3394

    The W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute was founded to develop leaders and scholars committed to eliminating poverty and racism, as well as to inspire hope among underrepresented minority communities. The Institute cultivates scholarships, and leadership and community service opportunities for high-achieving minority youth.

    Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search
    (951) 827-4685

    UCR's TRiO is home to the Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search programs. Upward Bound assists low-income and first-generation students in pursuing their educational goals. Likewise, the Educational Talent Search assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education.

    University STEM Academy

    Umoja Community

  • Faith and Spiritual Resources

    Abundant Living Family Church
    10900 Civic Center Dr., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
    (909) 987-7110

    Cross Word Christian Church
    14950 Riverside Dr., Riverside, CA 92518
    (951) 697-8803

    Park Avenue Missionary Baptist
    1910 Martin Luther King Blvd., Riverside, CA 92507
    (951) 684-8782

    St. George’s Episcopal Church
    950 Spruce St., Riverside, CA 92507
    (951) 686-9936

    Living Way
    Pastor Harold K. Webber
    12125 Day Street  #U101, Moreno Valley, CA 92557
    (Located in the Canyon Springs Plaza Lower Level) 
    Phone: (951) 781-8800 
    Fax: (951) 781-8811
    info@theway.church

    Faith Temple
    Pastor Beatrice M. Sims
    Riverside Faith Temple Ministries 
    2355 Pennsylvania Avenue 
    Riverside, California 92507
    Phone: (951) 788-0170 
    Fax: (951) 788-4045 
    Email: rftc@riversidefaithtemple.org

    2nd Baptist
    T. Ellsworth Gantt, II, Senior Pastor
    Second Baptist Church 2911 Ninth Street , Riverside, CA 92507
    Phone: (951) 684-7532
    Fax: (951) 684-1564
    Email: secbaptist@earthlink.net

    Kansas Ave. 7th Day Adventist
    Pastor Bill Howe
    4491 Kansa Avenue Riverside, CA 92507
    Phone: (951) 682-9810
    Fax: (951) 682-4861
    Email: Kansas.secretary@yahoo.com

    Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
    Stephen Pierson
    4009 Locust St., Riverside, CA 92501
    Phone: (951) 686-9406
    Email: allen_chapel@att.net
     

    Mt. Rubidoux SDA Church
    5320 Victoria Avenue
    Riverside, CA 92506
    Phone: (951) 276-8374
    Fax: (951) 274-2514

    Amos Temple C. M. E.
    Dr. D. J. Wesley, Pastor
    17925 Iris Ave., Riverside CA 92508
    Phone: (951) 789-8720
    Fax: (951) 798-8414
    Email: amostemple@sbcglobal.ne

    Vine Life
    Pastor, Dr. Robert L. Wilks, Jr.
    17421 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92504
    Phone: (951) 789-8514
    Fax: (951) 780-1981
    Email: brose@vinelifeonline.org

    Life Church of God In Christ 
    Bishop Ron M. Gibson 3349 Rubidoux Blvd., Riverside, CA 92509 
    Phone: (951) 684-5433
    Email: info@lifechurchriverside.org

    New Joy Baptist Church
    Pastor Reverend Paul S. Munford, M. Div
    5694 Jurupa Avenue, Riverside, CA 92504
    Phone: (951) 779-0088
    Fax: (951) 781-7602 
    Email: newjoybaptist@att.net

    Castle Rock Reverend 
    Jon Scott Harris 
    2900 Adams Street, Unit A4 , Riverside, CA 92504
    Phone: (909) 991-7931 
    Email: castlerockministries@gmail.com

    Victory Outreach
    Pastor David & Sonia Castro
    1760 Chicago Ave., Riverside, CA 92507
    Phone: (951) 684-7771
    Email: info@voriverside.com

  • Family Resources

    Council of African American Parents (CAAP)
    (909) 263-2354

    The Council of African American Parents is a nonprofit parent-and-community-driven organization committed to enhancing the educational opportunities of students through academics, social activities, and cultural awareness. CAAP especially provides support to the students and families of Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Pomona, Walnut, and surrounding communities.

    Institute for Black Parenting, Riverside Chapter
    (310) 807-3350 or (877) 367-8858

    The Institute for Black Parenting is the first licensed private, full-service adoption, foster care and family preservation agency that has served the African American community in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties since 1988.

  • Health Resources

    Riverside Community Health Foundation
    J.W. Vines Medical Foundation
    (951) 801-2365

    The J.W Vines Foundation Inc. is a critical link in the effort to increase the number and diversity of health care professionals in the Inland Empire. The foundation works with the James Wesley Vines Jr. MD Medical Society, a 501 c 6, the Inland affiliate of the National Medical Association. The Vines Medical Society is a cadre of African American physicians practicing in the Inland Empire who provide their time, talent and treasury in the form of human power, contributions and support to the foundation. The Vines foundation has a working relationship with UCR’s African Americans United in Science that includes internships and awards.

    Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc
    Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc. was founded in 2007 by Phyllis Y. Clark in Southern California. It is a national organization created to provide quality resources to the African American community. Our organization addresses the health and well being and health disparities of the ethnic group. We are devoted to decrease the high rates of incidents and mortality for the five chronic diseases.

    • Cancer
    • Heart Disease
    • Diabetes
    • Hypertension
    • Obesity

    Often these diseases are preventable, and frequently manageable through early detection, improved diet, exercise, and treatment therapy.

    The Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc. will invest and facilitate culturally competent resources, advocacy trainings, and programs that promote prevention, early intervention and education to improve the health of African Americans and offset the economic burden of a chronic disease. We serve as the premier provider of knowledge and tools, to end the behavior that contributes to high-risk, life-threatening health conditions that plague African-Americans. The Healthy Heritage is a movement that celebrates the diverse cultural richness of African Americans and deliver the resources to empower the community to live well and thrive.

  • History, Art, and Culture Resources

    Back to the Grind
    3575 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92501
    (951) 784-0800

    With its warm atmosphere and hot coffee, Back to the Grind is an ideal community gathering place for study sessions, poetry readings and live music.

    Mr. Charles Bibbs
    (951) 682-8185

    Riverside artist Charles Bibbs is world-renowned for his vibrant art. His work is described on his website as conveying “a deep sense of spirituality, majesty, dignity, strength and grace…in a combination of realistic and larger-than-life interpretations of contemporary subjects that are ethnically rooted.”

    Riverside African American Historical Society, Inc.

    Tuskegee Airmen, Inland Empire Chapter
    (310) 215-3985

    The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military aviators in the United States armed forces. Despite facing challenges of racial discrimination, they trained and flew with significant distinction.

    We The People Cultural Arts Group
    Post Office Box 56101 Riverside, CA 92517
    (951) 751-3077

    We The People is a nonprofit public benefit program focusing on traditional world drum, dance and visual art practices in order to present educational dance shows for public and private multicultural events. It offers drum classes, dance classes, workshops, lecture presentations, festivals, summer youth programs, educational programs and events such as their Annual Drum, Mask, and Dance Festival.

    The Richard T. Fields Bar Association (RTFBA)

    The Richard T. Fields Bar Association (RTFBA) was founded in 2010. The mission of RTFBA is to represent the interest of African American Attorneys in the Inland Empire (IE). Moreover, in addition to representing the interest of African American attorneys, RTFBA promotes pipeline initiatives to increase the number of youth of color in the IE to pursue careers in the legal profession and to promote justice for communities of color in the IE.

  • LGBTQ+ Resources
    4164 Brockton Ave. Suite A, Riverside CA 92501
    Phone: (951) 888-1346 or Toll-Free (877) 890-1169
    Email: info@truevolution.org
     

    Since 2008, TruEvolution has expanded its local advocacy to regional direct-services offering HIV testing, linkage to care, case management, and emergency supportive housing for people living with HIV. As an LGBTQ+ justice organization, we focus our efforts on addressing health disparities in LGBTQ+ communities of color through community outreach, health education, and prevention programs.

    Recognizing the gaps in comprehensive, culturally-competent behavioral health services throughout the Inland Empire, TruEvolution opened a behavioral health clinic in 2017. We offer psychotherapy, behavioral health risk assessments, support groups, peer counselors, care coordinators, and emergency trauma-response interventions with a clinical therapist.

    Transgender health and wellness are integrated into TruEvolution’s services. Our clinicians provide mental health letters of support for surgical procedures related to gender-affirming procedures, linkage to hormone therapy services, endocrinology referrals, and ongoing psychotherapy throughout the stages of gender affirmation. We strive to address the entire health needs of our clients, including their physical, sexual, and emotional well-being.

    As an advocacy organization, TruEvolution’s Youth United program engages in high school-based sexual health education and LGBTQ-affirming advocacy within piloted school districts and sites. Our statewide and national advocacy prioritizes under-resourced jurisdictions and community organizations providing services within these communities. The Health Equity Advancement Lab and Rural Health Service Provider Network serve as the organization's state and federal policy initiatives identifying ways to better meet the needs of community providers in rural regions and equip local service providers with resources and capacity-building.

     
  • Media Resources

    The Black Voice News
    (951) 682-6070

    The Precinct Reporter
    (909) 889-0597

Sexual Violence Education & Resources

 

On Campus

Off Campus

  • Confidential Resources

    Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center (RARCC)
    1845 Chicago Ave., Ste. A, Riverside, CA 92507
    24/7 Hotline: (951) 686-RAPE (7273) or (866) 686-7273 (toll-free)
    Email: info@rarcc.org 
    Website: rarcc.org

    • Offers free, confidential services to survivors, their friends, and families, and professionals ages 12 or older, including counseling and medical accompaniment.

    Alternatives to Domestic Violence (ADV)
    24/7 Hotline: (951) 683-0829 in Riverside or (800) 339-SAFE (7233) countywide
    Email: info@alternativestodv.org 
    Website: alternativestodv.org

    • Offers services including a 24-hour crisis line, emergency and transitional housing, outreach services to victims of domestic violence, individual and group counseling, life skills and job training, child development services, child and teen counseling, and a range of training programs for legal professionals, first responders and employers in the identification of and response to domestic violence.

    PALM DESERT/INDIO AREA RESOURCES

    San Bernardino Sexual Assault Resources (SBASAS) 
    74-333 Hwy 111 Suite 103, Palm Desert, CA 92260 
    24/7 Hotline: 1 (800) 656-4673 (toll-free)
    Website: sbsas.org
     
    • San Bernardino Sexual Assault Services was established in 1973 and has served the Inland Empire (San Bernardino County) for 35 years. In 1980 Sexual Assault Services was incorporated and recognized as an independent, non-profit agency. In 1990, SBSAS opened its first satellite office in Redlands; today SBSAS has satellite offices in the High Desert/Mountain area, Yucaipa, Morongo Basin, Victorville, and Indio.

    Shelter from the Storm (Domestic Violence Agency/Shelter)
    24/7 Hotline: 1 (800) 775-6055
    Website: shelterfromthestorm.org

    • PALM DESERT: 73550 Alessandro Drive, Ste. 103  Palm Desert, CA 92260 | (760) 674-0400
    • INDIO: Monday-Friday 82-675 Hwy 111 1st Floor, Indio, CA 92201 | (760) 863-8363
    • DESERT HOT SPRINGS: 14-201 Palm Drive Ste 108 Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240 | (760) 288-3313, T/TH

     

  • Additional Resources

    Riverside County Family Justice Center — Riverside
    3900 Orange St.
    Riverside, CA, 92501
    Phone: (951) 955-6100
    Website: rivcofjc.org

    • Provides a safe place for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child and elder abuse. The center is there to discuss your options about safety, emotional well-being, and your legal rights as a victim of a crime and will serve as your guide to getting connected with a variety of available resources.

    PALM DESERT/INDIO AREA RESOURCES

    Riverside County Family Justice Center — Indio 
    County Law Building 82-995 Hwy. 111, Ste. 103, Indio, CA 92201
    Phone: (760) 863-8363
    Website: rivcofjc.org

    • Provides a safe place for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child and elder abuse. The center is there to discuss your options about safety, emotional well-being, and your legal rights as a victim of a crime and will serve as your guide to getting connected with a variety of available resources.

    Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Tribal Resources 
    Website: Native American Resources for Domestic Violence

  • Online Chat 24/7 Support

    Your privacy and safety are crucial. Please make sure you're in a safe place and that you're using a secure device and Internet connection. Please note that while these organizations have taken numerous measures to keep your communications safe while using their sites, no Internet transmission is 100-percent secure.

    RAINN Online Hotline 
    The RAINN Online Hotline provides confidential, one-on-one crisis support for anyone affected by sexual assault. The organization also offers support via phone.

    LoveIsRespect Online Hotline 
    The Loveisrespect Online Hotline provides confidential, one-on-one crisis support to young people with questions and concerns about their dating relationships. The organization also offers support via phone and text.

    1in6 Online SupportLine for Men
    The 1in6 Online SupportLine offers crisis intervention and support to men seeking immediate information and resources related to unwanted sexual experiences in childhood. The organization also offers online Peer SupportGroups.

  • Self-Help Resources

    Self-Help Resources 
    Power and Control Wheel by LoveIsRespect
    The Power and Control Wheel is a tool that helps explain the different ways an abusive partner can use power and control to manipulate a relationship. Click on a spoke of the wheel to learn more about one of the forms of abuse, including examples and red flags.

    Quiz: How would you help? by LoveIsRespect
    Helping a person in an abusive relationship is sometimes frustrating. Be patient. Maybe they'll come around and maybe they won't. But by trying to help, you show your friend that you support them and can be trusted. Remember it's difficult and scary to leave an unhealthy relationship. Take this quiz to find out how ready and willing you are to help.

    Quiz: Is my relationship healthy? By LoveIsRespect
    Everyone deserves to be in a safe and healthy relationship. Do you know if your relationship is healthy? Answer yes or no to these quiz questions to find out.

    Quiz: Am I a good partner? by LoveIsRespect
    Are you a good partner? Answer yes or no to these quiz questions to find out.

    Quiz: Can abusers change? by LoveIsRespect
    Is your relationship becoming abuse-free? Answer yes or no to these questions to find out.

  • CARE Resources

    Interested in learning about CARE or support during this time? Below are several self-help resources created to support your individual needs.

    CARE General Brochure
    Quickly learn about CARE support, consent, healthy/unhealthy relationships, stalking, and other resources on campus.

    You have a CARE Advocate
    Learn more about how a CARE Advocate can support you during your time at UC Riverside.

    Common feelings after experiencing sexual assault
    It can feel overwhelming and confusing after experiencing a non-consensual sexual experience. Learn more about what you may be feeling during this time and strategies that may be helpful as you navigate support.

    Your legal rights and protection
    You have Title IX and other legal rights on and off-campus. Learn more about Title IX, Criminal Processes, and Victim's Compensation as you navigate safety options.

    Common feelings when experiencing intimate partner violence & stalking
    It can feel overwhelming, unsafe, and confusing navigating an unhealthy relationship and harassing behavior from another person. Learn more about what you may be feeling during this time and strategies for finding safety and support.

    Self-care and healing
    Self-care and healing are wholistic and intersectional. Learn more about self-care strategies and resources that can support you in moving forward after an experience of sexual and or relationship violence.

    10 Calming Exercises
    Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or triggered? Learn some quick tips and strategies you can utilize in class, meetings, or home to find calm and ground yourself.