A 12-foot video wall, a big funk-jazz fusion band, 45 exhibitors, remarks from congressional and state leaders, free admission, 3 food trucks, and Disneyland-like train rides made the 2025 GRIP Harmony Walk the most visual, active, engaging, and well-attended in history.
“We made a few tweaks to our event this year, including moving the festivities closer to the front of Nicholl Park, and shifting to a completely free event. We had a great turnout this year, which I think is in part due to the cost barrier being eliminated,” said organizer Jilly de la Torre.
The sea of official Harmony Walk “Sedona”-orange “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” t-shirts spoke to the cohesion forming around Richmond communities.
“We also saw increased support from our sponsors, so we were able to raise an almost identical amount of funds compared to last year, even with no entry fee, which is a huge success,” de la Torre added.
The introduction of the video wall meant a video tour of GRIP was available for those who weren’t able to walk to and from GRIP, or who preferred to stay and listen to the band and see the booths. After the video tour, a tighter program of speakers including Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez and Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, along with poets Jose Cordon, Michelle Milam from Richmond Police, and former poet laureate David Flores, continued the energy. Congressman John Garamendi and State Senator Jesse Arreguín joined other community leaders to share recorded remarks.
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The video screen also made possible the Richmond debut of the short film Street Muse by Opera Frontier, an operatic drama/parody about life on the streets. They were just one of nearly 50 community groups attending.
Tiffany Harris from Bay Area Girls Club said, “Participating in GRIP’s 2025 Harmony Walk was a deeply meaningful experience for the Bay Area Girls Club. Tabling alongside so many community partners and neighbors reminded us of the strength and unity that define Richmond. The event embodied the spirit of collaboration, compassion, and hope that we strive to instill in the girls we serve every day.”
Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Dept. Navigators Al Gibson and Jetzabel Diaz proudly represented the department at this year’s GRIP Harmony Walk. “It was inspiring to see so many people come together to support one another,” said Gibson. “Events like this show just how strong and caring our community really is.”
Jetzabel added, “I loved meeting families and seeing the excitement on their faces when they learned about all the services available to them. It was a great reminder of why we do what we do!”
“We hope Harmony Walk sparked connections that last all year—especially when things get challenging,” Executive Director Ralph Payton said. “That’s when community isn’t a slogan; it’s a system of support.”
“From all of us at GRIP: thank you for standing with our families, our single adults, and our outreach work. Let’s keep the momentum going—volunteer, spread the word, or partner with us in the months ahead. The need is real, and so is the impact we can make together.”
MC, ABC7 investigative reporter Dan Noyes guided the program with warmth and clarity reflecting the general mood of hope and resilience.
The afternoon ended with a 40-minute set from Victor Puebla’s band, “Suutcaze,” playing funk and jazz favorites while the crowd danced, dined, and connected.
“Harmony Walk has always been about one simple thing: bringing people together to lift up neighbors in need. This year at Nicholl Park, you did exactly that. Sponsors, supporters, families, and friends—your presence turned a fundraiser into a force for good.”
COMMUNITY BOOTHS
1: Beats Rhymes and Life, Inc.
2: Christina’s Crafts
3: Multi-Cultural Bookstore
4: CoBiz/Melanin Ulmtd.
5: Comment Studios
6: CEI – Center for Elders’ Independence
7: Lemur International
8: Chunches
9: BACR/AMPD Coalition – Bay Area Community Resources
10: White Pony Express
11: Faby-Lou’s Plants
12: Brighter Beginnings
13: Four Elements Fitness
14: Workforce Services Bureau
15: Chevron
16: Contra Costa Library
17: East Bay Meditation Center
18: TURN – The Utility Reform Network
19: FIERCE Advocates
20: Food Bank of CC County
21: Hip Hop for Change
22: Ancient Creations
23: Latina Center
24: Mocha Moms
25: Multicultural Institute
26: MFAC – Multi-Faith Action Coalition
27: Safe Return Project
28: Restore Your Wellbeing
29: Green Remedy
30: CoR Rental Inspection
31: Rubicon
32: Re-Entry Success Center
33: Tandem
34: First Five CC
35: Black Girls’ Mental Health Collective
36: Black Wealth Builder’s Fund/Arlington Community Church
37: Fountain Project
38: Beautiful Redeemer Ministries
39: ECMHP – Early Childhood Mental Health Program
40: EBMUD
41: Kiwanis
42: CoR Crisis Response
43: LifeLong Medical
44: Bay Area Girls’ Club
45: Children’s Art Studio
Thank you to our sponsors!
Chevron:
Chevron is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. We believe affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy is essential to achieving a more prosperous and sustainable world. $4.2 million spent in 2020-2021 to support organizations improving the quality of life in Richmond and West County. 17,216 volunteer hours from staff 2019-2021. $35 million being invested over 10 years to make college attainable for local students.
Kaiser Permanente: Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente headquartered in Oakland, California has nearly 13 million members, 39 hospitals, and 734 medical offices. Kaiser has nearly 24,000 doctors and 65,000 nurses, with 220,000 total employees.
Sims Metal: Sims Metal is one of the world’s leading metal and electronics recyclers with more than 200 facilities, operations in 18 countries, and 4,000 employees globally. As a responsible corporate citizen, we continuously seek new ways to broaden our participation in the environmental sector.
Mechanics Bank: Mechanics Bank is committed at its core to its communities, supporting everything from Boys and Girls Clubs, Junior Achievement, and offering “Investing in Today’s Youth” financial literacy training in six Bay Area public high schools. Mechanics Bank supports economic development for low-income, minority, and women-owned businesses. Employees donated 875 volunteer hours in 2019 alone—many on the clock.
Chase Bank
Proud to serve millions of people with a broad range of financial services, including personal banking, credit cards, mortgages, auto financing, investment advice, small business loans and payment processing.
East Bay MUD:
The East Bay Municipal Utility District has a proud history of providing high-quality drinking water for 1.4 million customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. EBMUD’s wastewater system serves 740,000 customers and helps protect the ecosystem of San Francisco Bay. EBMUD is a not-for-profit public agency established in 1923.
MA Hayes
Individuals and businesses served by M.A. Hays protect their assets through a sound program that creates security and comfort through a strong, full-service insurance agency serving every client’s needs.
Mark A. Porter and Ameriprise Financial
Mark Porter is an Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisor serving the San Francisco, CA area. He’ll get you the personal financial advice you need to achieve your goals.
MACK5: New this year!
mack5 provides project, cost and construction management services to deliver cost-effective, timely projects that align with owner expectations.
OVERALL CONSTRUCTION: New this year!
Building community since 1907.
Norwegian immigrant Carl Overaa came to the U.S. to pursue the American dream and opened a small construction business in Richmond, California.
Over more than a century, Overaa Construction has grown and prospered, overcoming depressions, recessions, wars, earthquakes and pandemics. Throughout the generations, it has relied on its deeply held core values of family, integrity and a strong work ethic.
Today, Overaa Construction employs more than 400 people and serves clients throughout Northern California.
They are honored to have helped shape California’s infrastructure over the last century and we are determined to keep building for its future.
REPUBLIC SERVICES — New this year
For decades, Republic Services has been a trusted partner for sustainable recycling and waste solutions. Today, we’re a leader in environmental services.
7 STARS — New this year!
We started 7 Stars with a dream to make cannabis accessible to everyone in an environment that supports learning about the plant, knowing the farmers, and cultivating that intangible thing that makes the cannabis community so special—something we all recognize when we see, but is hard to put into words.
Over the years we’ve found one thing to remain true. Cannabis brings people together. The people in this community are some of the friendliest, most creative, and most resourceful people I’ve known, and we are so honored to be a part of collectively imagining a better world together, while enjoying some of the best weed on this green earth.
Contra Costa Labor Council
The Contra Costa Labor Council is a membership organization serving as a coalition of the Labor Community in Contra Costa County. With 85 affiliated unions, the CCLC represents more than 80,000 union members and their families.
Bartable
BARTable is a website dedicated to everything that is BARTable… from art, to family activities, the outdoors, dining, and more — it’s all BARTable and you can plan your excursion at Bartable dot bart dot gov.
ABOUT THE GREATER RICHMOND INTERFAITH PROGRAM OR “GRIP”:
- Caring for 15,000 homeless and hungry people across western Contra Costa County
- 1,050 volunteers
- 44 member congregations, but GRIP is completely non-denominational and help is given without any strings. There is no requirement for religious participation of any kind.
- Staff of 22
- Sheltering 65 people
- Warming Center open nightly where up to 25 people can sleep in a warm, dry safe place overnight.
- Founded in 1966 as a soup kitchen, we opened the 65-bed shelter in 1993. That’s 59 years of service!
- We process some 5,000 pieces of mail a year, provide 2400 showers in addition to those of our residents, and are approaching 72,000 outreach events annually, like providing lunch or other services.
Mission statement: “GRIP provides a safe & nourishing place that helps transform those who are unsheltered and in need move toward self-sufficiency.”
