Black & Brown in the Inland Empire and Beyond

A powerful, community-rooted exploration of history, identity, and resilience. Born out of a process grounded in collaboration and education, this exhibition brings together the voices and visions of artists and community members who took part in a series of workshops led by local historians, academics, and longtime residents of the Inland Empire. These workshops served as a space to uncover and engage with the layered histories of the region—touching on redlining, segregation, education inequity, language politics, migration, and more. Participants examined how these systemic issues have shaped—and continue to shape—the lived experiences of Black and Brown communities across time and geography.

Armed with this deeper understanding, artists created work that responds directly to these historical truths. Each piece—whether created individually or in collaboration—serves as a visual dialogue between past and present, art and activism, memory and imagination. The result is an exhibition that not only highlights injustice, but also uplifts the voices and stories of those who have long fought to be seen, heard, and remembered.

Black Brown in the Inland Empire and Beyond invites viewers to witness these narratives, to reflect on the enduring impact of structural inequality, and to celebrate the creativity, strength, and solidarity that emerges when communities tell their own stories.