Beginning in the late 1960’s, development efforts in the Inland Empire began to clash with the natural environment. As home builders acquired increasing amounts of land to build affordable housing, pressures mounted on the local environment and on the quality of life of the existing residents of Riverside, California, Corona, California, Norco, California, Jurupa Valley, California, and other communities that comprise the Inland Empire of Southern California. These pressures threatened to cause permanent damage to open spaces and parks, biological resources, water resources, transportation resources, cultural and social resources, and air quality as well as increase pollution in the region. The Inlandia Institute launched the 'Making Waves’ oral history project to document the story of seven area women, Jane Block, Liz Cunnison, Melba Dunlap, Beverly Wingate Maloof, Sue Nash, Penny Newman, and Ruth Anderson Wilson, who fought to preserve cultural, historical, and environmental resources from being destroyed by the construction efforts.

'Making Waves' was produced by the Inlandia Institute, specifically: Marion Mitchell-Wilson, former Director; Pamela Atkinson, program coordination; Judith Auth, oral history interviews; Cherstin M. Lyon, Ph.D., project consultant, oral history interviews, videographer, video and audio editing and post-production, selection of video content for website; Douglas McCulloh, photographs; and Dawn Hassett, online content and architecture. The project was also made possible with support from Cal Humanities, an independent nonprofit of the National Endowment for the Humanities.