Initiatives

Soulful Circle is a supportive online community dedicated to fostering the mental well-being and academic success of African American women of the Riverside Community College District. We strive to create a safe, empowering space where members can share experiences, access mental health and other resources, and build meaningful connections. Through mentorship, peer support, and culturally relevant discussions, we aim to uplift one another as we navigate the challenges of higher education and personal growth, with a focus on resilience, self-care, and academic achievement.

Cosmetology and Dental services free for online students

The Say My Name program aims to foster a sense of belonging and respect within the educational community by ensuring the correct recognition and pronunciation of every student's name. By leveraging technology to support this goal, the initiative emphasizes the critical role that software can play in enhancing educators' cultural competence and promoting inclusivity in the classroom.

Technology Solution:

Integration of Name Coach, a name-recording feature within the educational institution's Canvas LMS. This feature allows students to record their names as they wish them to be pronounced and attach these recordings to their profiles and email signatures.

Campaign Launch:

Officially introduce the campaign through a kickoff event during Fall Flex, highlighting the importance of cultural competency and the role of correct name pronunciation in fostering an inclusive learning community.

References:

• Why Getting Someone's Name Right Matters [Harvard Business Review]
• Getting it right; why pronouincing names correctly matters [TEDx]
• Why do names and how they're prononuced matter? [BBC]
• How Names Shape Our Identity [The Week]

The Board of Trustees of Riverside Community College District has presented this Strategic Plan in Objective 3.1:

Strategic Goal 3: Equity

The district will work with community, workforce, and education partners to reduce and eliminate equity gaps.

• Objective 3.1: Decrease equity gaps by 40% in 5 years and eliminate within 10 years.
• Objective 3.2: Increase RCCD’s workforce diversity to better reflect communities served.

Our mission is to unite all community college campuses within Region 9 to create a collaborative environment for sharing expertise, cultivating innovative ideas, and advancing the quality of online education. By leveraging collective knowledge and resources, we aim to empower our diverse student body with accessible, inclusive, high-quality online learning experiences. Through this collaborative effort, we aspire to shape a visionary 2030 landscape that meets the evolving needs of our online students, equipping them for success in an increasingly digital world. 

Join RCCD DE at these events in honor of African American Success Week. This state-wide, weeklong celebration offers a vibrant mix of career exploration and educational pathways. RCCD’s Distance Education Team will spotlight opportunities for our online students in the rapidly expanding electric vehicle (EV) industry and the graphic artist careers, bridging creative and STEM opportunities for our students.

By blending digital and on-campus experiences, RCCD creates a more inclusive and connected environment. This blended approach enriches learning and fosters a strong sense of belonging, purpose, and identity for online students—regardless of their location. Ultimately, it strengthens student ties to campus-driven equity efforts and highlights RCCD’s commitment to being a supportive, inclusive, and forward-thinking Institution.

• • Title: Amani Scott’s Journey: RCC Alumnus to Rising Star! 
  • Speaker: Amani Scott, RCC Alumnus and Graphic Artist
  • Description: Join RCCD DE as we spotlight Amani Scott, a standout alumnus from RCC’s Graphic Arts program, who has been accepted into some of the nation’s top visual arts universities! Scott’s journey is a powerful testament to what dedication, creativity, and a strong community can achieve. From the first sketch to gallery-ready portfolios, she will share how she turned her passion into a promising future. Interested in seeing her creative work? Check out a short animated film she produced and directed, “To My Curls,” on her profile @manimations.tv.

• Day/Time: Tuesday, April 22, from 5:30-6:30 PM
  • Title: She did it! So can you!
  • Speaker: Emeline King, Automotive Designer & Author
  • Description: Join RCCD DE in welcoming Emeline King, who became the first black female automotive designer for Ford Motor Company in 1983. She will share her inspiring rise in the automotive industry and the struggles and rewards she faced along the way. Come hear her story!

• Day/Time: Wednesday, April 23, from 5:30-6:30 PM
  • Title: Representatives and Mentors from 100 Black Men
  • Description: Join RCCD DE to connect with mentors from 100 Black Men of the Inland Empire, a powerhouse organization dedicated to empowering and mentoring Black youth through education, leadership, and community uplift. 100 Black Men of the Inland Empire is part of a national movement transforming lives through mentorship, education, and economic empowerment—and now you get to engage with them directly! Join us to learn how this incredible group is supporting Black excellence in the Inland Empire and hear about the programs and activities they offer for the Inland Empire community. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with mentors, ask questions, get advice, and be part of the conversation!

• Day/Time: Thursday, April 24, from 9 AM to 4 PM
  • Title: TigerCon 2025
  • Description: Join RCC in person for a powerful, insightful comic book conference, TigerCon 2025. This conference will include a multiple panel. John Jennings, a professor at UCR and a creative graphic artist, and his team will share how they champion Black culture through art. There will be additional panel discussions featuring some of the most dynamic Black voices in the graphic arts industry! Trailblazing creators, such as Brandon Easton, TJ Sterling, and Jason Reeves, will share their journeys, challenges, and strategies for succeeding as a person of color in the world of graphic arts. This in-person conference will be packed with inspiration, practical advice, and creative empowerment. Whether you're an aspiring artist, a fan of comics and design, or simply curious about diverse perspectives in the art world, TigerCon2025 is for you!

• Day/Time: Saturday, April 26, from 10 AM to 2 PM
  • Title:  EV Car Show
  • Description: In collaboration with Karma Automotive in Moreno Valley, President McCammon’s CreateKarma project is teaming with RCCD DE to present a cross-disciplinary, community-centered EV Car Show. This in-person event is a bold, intentional fusion of Distance Education, Career & Technical Education (CTE), and equity-centered outreach. Come and explore career and educational pathways in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. You can get up close with the EV cars from 12 dealers and participate in hands-on activities such as test drives and a tour of the Automotive Department.

The DE Team is excited to offer these opportunities to RCCD’s online students. We hope you and your students will join us for these African American Success Week events. Use the links provided above to get started.

Black Student Success Week

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office will again be hosting a Black Student Success Week in April. The focus will be on “building a better future together.”

All Flyers for Black Student Success Week [PDF]

Flyers preview:

The Black Child Book Fair took place at Riverside City College Campus on February 24, 2024.

RCC's Campus News documents the event in their article entitled Beyond Screens: Empowering RCCD’s Online Student Engagement through Literature at the Black Child Book Fair. 

The Riverside Community College District (RCCD) Distance Education department organized and hosted the Black Child Book Fair on Saturday, February 24th, at the Bradshaw Building on the Riverside City College campus. This event was uniquely crafted to bridge the gap between the virtual student population and campus engagement, offering RCCD students enrolled in online courses a rare opportunity to interact with the campus community alongside their families. From 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, over 100 individuals, representing diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, converged to celebrate African-American-focused literary resources and community engagement.

Established by Darryl Harvey, the Black Child Book Fair serves as a guiding light of advocacy, committed to enhancing the educational, emotional, developmental, and social landscape for youth from diverse backgrounds. The fair boasted an array of sixteen vendors, ranging from local bookstores like Cellar Door and Book Off to entities such as the RCC Student Parent Club and The Allen Chapel AME Church of Riverside. Notable independent authors such as Jennifer Ricketts, Edward Rice, Iman Hubbard, and Vantavia were among the participants. Additionally, other notable vendors included the Center for Social Justice, Scholastics, and the Riverside Public Library.

Attendees were offered many engaging activities and meaningful interactions with vendors and community leaders. UMOJA volunteers curated family-friendly activities, fostering an inclusive atmosphere. The contributions of the Student Parent Club, providing gently used clothing, and JCSM Non-profit, distributing free books to children, showed the event's commitment to nurturing environments.

Additionally, over 100 complimentary spaghetti dinners were funded by the church food disparity grant, thanks to Allen Chapel AME Church of Riverside. Mama T’s Food for the Soul was also present catering soul food. These contributions enhanced the familial ambiance and ensured attendees departed with full hearts and stomachs.

Shawna Bú Shell, RCCD's Dean of Educational Services and Distance Education, reflected on the event's impact, stating, "As we embark on fostering community engagement at RCCD, the heartening presence of families at this academic event not only captivated but also energized our online students, signaling the commencement of an exciting series of interactive experiences for students in the future."

The overwhelming success of the Black Child Book Fair has inspired plans for future events, with a commitment to offering even more opportunities for online students to engage with the campus community. RCCD's Distance Education department remains dedicated to ensuring that all students, regardless of their mode of learning, have access to enriching experiences that foster a sense of belonging and support within the RCCD community.

The ASCCC OERI had a back-to-the-basics OER series in February. Faculty attended the following topics:

• OER, Copyright, and Fair Use
• OER Licensing
• Searching for OER – best practices and resources
• Evaluating OER for accessibility
• Advanced Licensing for curation and adaptation