Long Beach City College Honors Jenni Rivera with New Performing Arts Center
Long Beach City College Names Performing Arts Center After Jenni Rivera
Long Beach City College (LBCC) has officially named its new performing arts center the Jenni Rivera Performing Arts Center, honoring the legacy of the celebrated musician and alumna. The Board of Trustees at LBCC voted unanimously on this designation last week.
“This naming recognizes not just an extraordinary performer, but a daughter of Long Beach whose voice and spirit transcended borders,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, president of LBCC’s Board of Trustees, in a press statement. “Jenni Rivera inspired millions through her music, resilience, and advocacy. We are proud that future generations of artists will learn and create in a space that bears her name.”
In support of the new facility, Jenni Rivera Enterprises will contribute $2 million over the next decade to the LBCC Foundation, primarily for scholarships and educational programs, as reported by the Long Beach Post.
“Our family is deeply honored that Long Beach City College has chosen to memorialize Jenni in this extraordinary way,” said Jacqie Rivera, Rivera’s daughter and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises. “Long Beach shaped who Jenni was — as an artist, a mother, and a woman — committed to her community. Knowing that young performers will grow, train, and find their creative voice in a center that carries her name is profoundly meaningful to us.”
Scheduled to open in spring 2026, the performing arts center marks the second tribute to Rivera from LBCC. Earlier this year, she was inducted into the LBCC Hall of Fame alongside actor and activist Jennifer Kumiyama and attorney Norm Rasmussen.
Born and raised in Long Beach, Rivera attended Long Beach Poly High School in the 1980s, where she faced challenges as a young mother but graduated as valedictorian from Reid Continuation High School. She later attended LBCC before transferring to California State University, Long Beach, to pursue a degree in business administration.
Rivera utilized her education as a real estate agent while working in her father’s recording studio and label, Cintas Acuario, which he founded in the 1980s. This label grew from a small booth into a prominent independent entity, helping artists like Chálino Sanchez rise to fame. Rivera’s brothers also found success in the music industry, with her brother Lupillo establishing a significant career of his own.
Launching her musical journey with the album “Somos Rivera” in 1992, Rivera achieved considerable success before her life and career were tragically cut short by a plane crash in Mexico on December 9, 2012.
Known as the “Diva de la Banda,” Rivera’s story of overcoming adversity has inspired many, making her a trailblazer in the male-dominated genre of música mexicana.
In 2015, Long Beach city officials honored her legacy by naming a park after her, which features a 125-foot-long mural celebrating Rivera’s life and heritage. Additionally, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024, accepted by her five children on her behalf.
“I thought it was impossible after she passed away, but God has a beautiful way of proving people wrong,” said Rivera’s daughter Jenicka Lopez during the star unveiling ceremony, reflecting on her mother’s enduring dreams and legacy.
