Our Story

The Adrian Dell & Carmen Roberts Foundation has roots that reach back more than four decades. What began in 1980 as the Riverside Black History Parade Committee grew out of a simple desire: to bring families together, celebrate culture, and uplift the local community. The committee organized the very first Black History Month Parade that year — an event that has since become one of California’s longest-running celebrations of Black heritage. Over time, the organization expanded its work, launching the community-wide Black History Expo in 1995, followed by programs that supported local students and families, including the Annual Backpack Giveaway for K–12 students in 2002 and the Empowering Young Women Conference in 2001.

In 2015, the organization proudly adopted a new name — the Adrian Dell & Carmen Roberts Foundation — honoring two individuals whose leadership and service inspired decades of community progress. Since then, the foundation has continued adding meaningful programs and events: Jazz on the Rooftop in 2018, the inaugural ADCR Golf Tournament in 2021, and multiple scholarship initiatives, including the first foundation-funded scholarship awarded in 2024.

Today, the ADCR Foundation carries forward its long-standing legacy through a combination of flagship and anchor programs — including the Empowering Young Women Conference, the Annual Riverside Black History Parade & Expo, and the annual Backpack Giveaway. Each program is designed to create meaningful access, support academic advancement, and provide positive spaces where young women and families can learn, connect, and thrive together while celebrating cultural history, and strengthening the Inland Empire and surrounding communities through education, enrichment, and opportunity.

Our Mission

Empowering citizens of the Inland Empire and surrounding communities through the development of cultural activities, education, and expanded economic opportunities.

Our Leadership