The comingling of City of Richmond business and the Othering and Belonging Institute (OBI), where Councilmember Jimenez’ husband is the Director of the Community Power and Policy Partnerships Program, is beginning to look more and more like Trump and Musk, with OBI becoming a shadow department of the City of Richmond similar to Musk’s and Trump’s DOGE.

The recent “Our Future Economy” event, and presumably future events in the series, are hosted by Eli Moore of OBI but paid for by the City.

According to the event permit, the activity received a fee waiver worth $3,266.50 and an insurance waiver from the City, although labor (set up and clean up), insurance costs and rental of the auditorium cannot be waived according to City policies.

The application was signed by Mylanah Yolangco of OBI (“At the Othering & Belonging Institute, Mylanah supports ongoing communications planning and strategy implementation for the Communications team”), although she identifies herself as part of the Mayor’s office, and granted by Tony Tamayo, the mayor’s chief of staff. This was essentially an OBI event, organized, managed and directed by OBI, but the City treated it like an official City event run out of the Mayor’s Office.

According to the City of Richmond Community Services – Recreation Division Fee Waiver Policy, the final approval is to be made by the Director of Community Services (.https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/.../Fee-Waiver-Guidelines). In this case, it was approved by the mayor’s chief of staff, which is contrary to written procedures.

Figure 1 - Permit indicating $3,266.50 of fees waived

Figure 2 - Excerpt from Fee Waiver Policy indicating ineligible expenses


Figure 3 - Email from Eli Moore to a list of organizations affiliated with the RPA

Figure 4 - Waiver signed by mayor's chief of staff


Figure 5 - Email indication event was hosted by OBI


Figure 6 - Special Event Permit

Figure 7 - Email from Eli Moore

Figure 8 - Application signed by Mylanah Yolangco of OBI