The Adrian Dell & Carmen Roberts Foundation is bringing back its signature autumn gala, Velvet Nights, to the Grand Taj in Riverside on November 14, with live jazz, a gourmet dinner and dancing running from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets start at $150 per person, with group tables of eight going for $1,200, and sponsorship packages are available for businesses and individuals who want to back the cause. Organizers say seating is limited.
This is the foundation's 8th annual jazz fundraiser, according to a press release distributed via El Paso Times. Foundation co-chair Dell Roberts said in the release that Velvet Nights “brings the community together for an unforgettable evening of music and celebration,” while co-chair Carmen Roberts said the fundraiser “supports the foundation's mission to empower Inland Empire citizens through cultural activities, education, and economic opportunities.” The gala takes place at Grand Taj, located at 10190 Indiana Avenue in Riverside.
Last year's edition of the jazz night, themed “Derby After Dark,” was held at the R Banquet facility and featured musical act Lorie V. Moore and Friends, according to San Bernardino American News. The venue shift to Grand Taj and the new Velvet Nights branding mark the latest evolution of an event that has become the foundation's primary fall fundraiser.
A 90-Year-Old Leader With Deep Riverside Roots
The gala's proceeds flow to an organization built almost entirely around the decades of work put in by Dell Roberts, who turned 90 in August. The City of Riverside marked the occasion by officially proclaiming August 25, 2026, as “Dell Roberts Day,” recognizing more than 80 years of local civic leadership, the Westside Story Newspaper reported. Roberts moved to Riverside in 1945 at age nine and spent his career serving local schools and public parks, per the paper's account.
That career included 38 years with the Riverside Unified School District, where Roberts worked as a coach, campus supervisor and assistant principal at Poly High School, according to background published by the Adrian Dell & Carmen Roberts Foundation. He established the district's first Black Student Union there in 1968 before retiring from RUSD in 2003.
Roberts has also drawn national recognition beyond Riverside. The National Recreation and Park Association named him the national recipient of its Robert M. Artz Advocate Award, honoring his individual lifetime contributions to public recreation. The award, per the National Recreation and Park Association, recognizes exceptional individual advocacy for community park access.
From Parade Committee to a $5 Million Gymnasium
The foundation itself traces back to 1979, when it began as the Riverside Black History Committee. It received federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in December 1988 and adopted its current name in 2015, according to filings reviewed on ProPublica. The organization's flagship event, the Riverside Black History Parade & Expo, celebrated its 46th annual edition in downtown Riverside in February.
Roberts's decades of organizing are now taking physical shape on Riverside's Eastside. The city is currently constructing the $5 million Adrian “Dell” Roberts Gymnasium at Bordwell Park using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, completing a project Roberts spent decades pushing for, according to VOICE. Bordwell Park had previously been the only city park in Riverside without an indoor gymnasium.
Where the Ticket Money Goes
Beyond its parade and parties, the foundation runs year-round programs that gala proceeds help sustain, including the Empowering Young Women Conference, which supports scholarships, and an annual Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway at Bordwell Park. The foundation also supports scholarships, expanding its reach beyond cultural programming into direct student support.
The press release lists Carl Dameron of Dameron Communications as the contact for Velvet Nights, reachable at 951-684-8782. Hoodline previously reported that Dameron was scheduled to receive the Dr. Juanita Scott Humanitarian of the Year Award at the 34th Annual Black Rose Awards in San Bernardino on September 12, as Hoodline previously reported.
