RCCD Launches Campus to Commerce: A Black Business Lunch & Learn Series at RCC

10/16/2025

The Riverside Community College District (RCCD) Distance Education, in collaboration with RCC Umoja, and RCC Black Faculty & Staff Association (BFSA), is launching Campus to Commerce, a pilot Black Business Lunch & Learn series hosted at Riverside City College (RCC), available virtually and in person. The program is designed to connect Umoja students with inspiring Black entrepreneurs from the Riverside community.

The fall 2025 lineup includes:

• • • October 16, 2025 – Montay Allen, Manager at Cheba Hut
    • November 20, 2025 – Fabrice Alce, Co-Owner of Beignet Spot
    • Date TBA – Milton “Major K,” Owner of Major K Music

Each session will run from 12:50 PM to 1:30 PM in RCC’s Umoja space, with livestream access provided by Distance Education for fully online Umoja students. Cheba Hut and Beignet Spot will also share food tasters, adding a cultural and community-rich element to the experience.

“Creating intentional spaces for our students to hear directly from Black entrepreneurs is about more than career advice, it’s about showing them the power of representation and possibility,” said Corey Timberlake, PhD, Director of Umoja.

Malika Bratton, MA, President of BFSA, added, “Campus to Commerce is about celebration of heritage and a blueprint for the future. Each session is dedicated to showcasing vital trade secrets of successful Black-owned business to inspire the next generation to dream big! This pilot program reflects the absolute best of what happens when we unite in support of our students There is power in Unity. Our students will lead by building their own legacy and giving back to the community.”

“By connecting Umoja students in person and online to local entrepreneurs, we are not only building cultural capital but also encouraging intergenerational dialogue,” said Shawna BuShell, Ed.D., Dean of Distance Education. “The livestream component ensures that students across all modalities, whether in-person or fully online, can benefit from these valuable conversations and understand the importance of celebrating and supporting their community.”

The Campus to Commerce series serves as a precursor to RCCD’s African American Success Week Webinar Series in spring 2026, building momentum for student engagement, cultural affirmation, and professional connection.

This initiative underscores RCCD’s collective commitment to uplifting Black voices in person and online, fostering equity, and supporting student success across the District.

Published by External Relations & Strategic Communications