On Saturday June 1, 2024, in California State University, San Bernardino’s Center for Global Innovation, a collaborative organizing committee presented the first “Inland Empire People’s History Conference.”

The organizers (see full committee list below) brought together scholars, artists, storytellers, community leaders, and more, and the conference featured panels on a wide range of issues relevant to the past, present, and future of the I.E.

Reflecting on the success of the conference, CSUSB Sociology Professor José Muñoz, a member of the conference organizing committee, remarked, “Being able to collaborate and provide an event to allow for community and institution-based scholars to discuss and speak directly to each other was amazing.” At the end of the day, he continued that he “felt like many folks didn't want to leave.”

Dr. Muñoz also noted that the organizers of the conference consider this to be the inaugural event in what will become an annual conference.

CSUSB History Department Chair and Professor Ryan Keating officially opened the proceedings in a welcome address and noted that “conferences such as this reflect a growing emphasis on the preservation of local and regional histories as fundamental to our broader efforts to preserve the lived experiences of people and develop an inclusive understanding of our shared history." Dr. Keating, an expert in 19th-century US history, continued, "The scope and scale of presentations at this conference reflect the diverse ways in which we as scholars analyze and understand the spaces we occupy and truly reflect the ways in which individual histories impact our broader understanding of the collective past.”

Geography Professor Mike Kohout,  whose work focuses on issues facing the desert regions of the Inland Empire, attended and was impressed by the diversity and energy of community activists working throughout the region, noting that "I was proud to see that many of our former students are now community leaders, working hard to ensure the Inland Empire is a great place to live for all." Over a dozen CSUSB alumni were present as either presenters, volunteers, or attendees.

CSUSB Assistant Professor of History, Michelle Lorimer presented her work at the conference, and noted, “The conference organizers created a wonderful scholarly environment that brought together a wide variety of people interested in telling stories of communities in the Inland Empire.” Dr. Lorimer, a California history expert and educator, continued, “Together with regional teachers, we shared newly available digital archival sources and lesson plans developed by educators that tell the rich history of different groups of IE residents. I hope this is the first of many I.E. People's History conferences for our area." Dr. Lorimer’s recent and relevant publications include “Turn Back the Noisy Wheels of Progress”: Modernization, Postcards, and California’s Romantic Booster Heritage," in the journal, California History (May 2024).

The concluding keynote address was delivered by CSUSB History Department alumnus and now Assistant Professor of History at Brown University, Dr. Mark Ocegueda. His keynote address was titled, “Inland Epistemologies: The Power of Historical Knowledge, Erasure, and Imagining A People’s History of the Inland Empire."

Extensive collaborations with regional partners like University of California Riverside, San Bernardino Valley College, University of Redlands, UC Irvine, UCLA, University of Southern California, community non-profits, businesses, and other local groups show promise for the future of this new and vibrant institution in the Inland Empire.

Find a story featuring the conference from local NPR affiliate, KVCR here, and the People’s History of the Inland Empire organization webpage here.

Find a full program of the conference proceedings at this link.

Conference Organizing committee:

• Kevan Antonio Aguilar, Assistant Professor, University of California, Irvine
• liz gonzález, Instructor, University of California, Los Angeles Extension 
• Catherine Gudis,  Professor, University of California, Riverside
  • Dr. Gudis supported the event with a portion of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant.
• Juan De Lara, Associate Professor, University of Southern California
• Audrey Maier, A People's History of the I.E.
• William Medina, Instructor, San Bernardino Valley College
• José A. Muñoz, Professor, California State University, San Bernardino 
• Mark Ocegueda, Assistant Professor, Brown University
  • CSUSB History Graduate and keynote speaker.
• Jennifer Tilton, Professor, University of Redlands
• Anthony Victoria, Fellow, Frontline News