One of the criticisms that I've heard since this public conversation began is that these should have been internal conversations. This is a frustrating argument for a number of reasons, one of which is that I, and many other MOVE members, pushed hard for internal reforms and conversations. I'll address that in more detail below. The primary reason that statement infuriates me is that it ignores the levels of abuse that occur in MOVE and prioritizes the comfort and public image of those who have known too much and done little internally to stop it. On the day that June left and went into hiding, there were still young girls who Bert and Ria had access to and undue influence over. Due to this level of public exposure (though still no reporting from any news agency) their access to control and abuse children has been dramatically limited.
The other point that this criticism misses is that we're not talking about bad politics here that can be internally corrected, we're talking about clear and systemic child abuse over the course of generations. This argument also erases the harassment and intimidation campaign that preceded the murder of John Gilbride. If there were no internal reforms when a routine custody case was made cause for a public campaign of defamation and veiled threats, or when June was forced into marriage and pregnancy at 12 then when were those internal reforms going to occur?
I also need to point out again that a very small percentage of what will be revealed has yet been revealed. However, here are a few of the things that are on the record so far: that June was forced into an arranged marriage and forced into pregnancy at the age of 12, that Whit and many other young teenage girls were also forced into marriage and pregnancy, that privilege within MOVE is granted based on skin tone and that darker-skinned children are treated significantly worse, that pregnant teenage girls are forcibly denied medical care even if their lives are in danger, that homophobia within MOVE is so extreme that kids feel that if they were to come out as gay that it may be punishable by death, that Alberta Africa lives a lavish lifestyle with MOVE money while many in MOVE grew up far below the poverty line, that children in MOVE are systematically denied an education, and some, like Josh, have been intentionally denied even basic levels of literacy.
None of the things listed above was a secret to any adult MOVE member. All of that was very well known and understood. Everyone had a different perspective and level of comfort or discomfort with each item, but none of it was hidden internally. If those things weren't enough for internal reform then what would have been enough? The fact is that what has actually happened in MOVE extends far beyond what is listed above and much of that information was also widely known. So at what point is it appropriate to voice opposition to abuse in a place it may be heard, or at least expose it to the degree that enough people are watching that it can no longer occur, at least at the scale that it was occurring?
The other claim being made is that Maiga and I are outsiders and as a result can't be trusted. This is a ridiculous claim because we were internal to MOVE for nearly 20 years. For a great deal of that time MOVE was the dominating force, interest, and influence in both of our lives. As Maiga and I learned about things within MOVE that seemed out of balance we did attempt to raise these concerns, many other members and close supporters did as well. When Ramona was hospitalized in 2018 Maiga and I were in constant communication with members and other supporters to improve the care that Mona was receiving. Many of us were suspicious of the way that Ria and Bert had been handling her care and were pushing back in order to ensure that Mona was cared for properly. However, this did not result in any changes in the power dynamics within MOVE, it merely resulted in Mona receiving better care while those of us who were trying to reform things were vigilant.
The documents below demonstrate another attempt that I made at petitioning for a needed conversation that many concerned members and supporters wanted to happen. The following letters are internal documents that I texted to every MOVE member I had a cell phone number (about 25 people) for in June of 2019. The letters had a dual purpose. The first was to draw a line in the sand and let MOVE’s leadership know that Maiga and I would not be manipulated. Our daughter was due in a few weeks and I was attempting to set firm boundaries with Ria and Bert. The second purpose was to try to help push some changes in MOVE that many of us were crying out for. At the point of writing this letter, I hadn’t been a true believer in 12 years but I still thought there was good to be redeemed.
The first letter was sent on June 1, 2019. I sent the second letter on June 13, 2019 after Ria continued calling me even though I told her that I didn’t want to be called unexpectedly, and that I wanted to meet in a large group to discuss these issues transparently. There were many other members and supporters raising similar concerns, and yet the only response to these letters from Ria and Bert was to call us ungrateful traitors.
Once June disclosed much more serious abuse to Maiga and me in March of 2021 we knew that internal reforms or private discussions would only allow the abuse to continue. At the time of writing these letters, I did not know most of what I know now. I could never write a letter to Ria with such a kind tone again. At the time of writing these letters, I had deep concerns about the murder of John Gilbride and had serious criticism of the leadership of Bert and Ria, but I felt like Ria and Bert had hijacked the Organization and that their behavior was an anomaly within the larger history of MOVE. I no longer saw John Africa as the unquestionable voice of God, but I still thought there was goodness at the heart of his teachings. Since digging more deeply and talking to people, like Whit, who were children when John Africa was alive and running things, I no longer feel that way. I see Ria and Bert as the logical extension of John Africa and believe that the abusive behaviors they have exhibited are a continuation of his leadership. This is the core reason why internal reform is impossible.
Here are my letters from June of 2019:
6/1/19
Dear Ria,
I’m writing in response to the voicemail you left me this morning. It may seem weird to write a letter in response to a voicemail but I have a lot to say and I don’t think that I’d be able to get it all out on the phone. Back to your message - yes, it’s definitely weird that I have not been in contact since Janet and Janine got home. I could not be happier that they’re home and I would love to see them. However, in the last week, a few things have risen more to the surface that make me uncomfortable. I value our relationship and I don’t want to lie to you about how I feel, however, I couldn’t imagine a scenario where I expressed my feelings and it was well-received.
I see the situation between Debbie and Mike, and Janine and Janet very differently than you do. I was not at all concerned or bothered by the (from my perspective) relatively minor stipulations that Debbie and Mike had to accept in order to get home. You have said that the reason that Debbie and Mike have stipulations and Janine and Janet don’t is because of violation. I completely disagree with this and feel that it’s highly likely that it was Debbie and Mike’s good behavior after their release that allowed Janine and Janet to be paroled. If Del and Eddie were offered release with the same stipulations that Mike and Debbie have I really hope that they would accept it.
I think that some of the conflict here comes from the fact that this is not how it was perceived that the MOVE 9 would come home. It seems to me that that’s also the reason that Brad and Bret’s role in their release is being downplayed. If there is a perceived inconsistency here then that really doesn’t bother me. In all of my time with MOVE people I have seen the beauty and strength that radiates through from John Africa. Though I never met John Africa I have come to love him through the goodness coming through MOVE people. I’m so grateful for everything I have learned as a supporter and have so much respect for The Coordinator and everyone living in his example, and I also have my own perspective on a lot of things. I want the people that I know and love to be happy and free and I’m not bothered at all if this means that their release happens in an unexpected way.
I’ve been uncomfortable with the way Chuck has been erased from the MOVE 9 for a long time. I understand that there is a lot of history here and that there are things that I don’t know. However, when we leave Chuck off of the list of those that we’re demanding be released it feels to me like we’re implying that we don’t mind if Chuck stays in prison. This is not at all how I feel. In the past week, this issue has become publicly clearer and people aren’t responding well. Former political prisoner Daniel McGowan has posted on Facebook about his concern over the erasure of Chuck. I have also had supporters email me privately to find out what’s going on.
I’ve also heard it said many times that the serious medical problems that Chuck has struggled through are the result of his violation. This bothers me because many MOVE members have had health struggles and it seems that their personal violation is only credited when they’re on bad terms with the inner circle. I don’t know Chuck very well and I’m certainly not saying that he’s never made a mistake, but responding to his illness in this way doesn’t sit well with me.
I’m writing this letter out of love and in the hope that by bringing some of these concerns to the surface that they can be resolved. However, I know that these are sensitive issues. If you’re comfortable having a conversation about this then I would love to talk in person. I have a much easier time having a complex conversation when I can actually sit with someone. Please don’t call and expect that I’ll be ready to talk. I would need to be in the right frame of mind to have the conversation. I’m also not comfortable with anyone coming to my house to discuss this unannounced. I have no interest in fighting so if we’re in conversation and it turns into yelling then I will walk away. I’m only interested in having a real conversation where we can hear one another.
I’m trying hard to be clear and transparent so I want to let you know that I’m sharing this letter with some MOVE members and a few close supporters. I have absolutely no interest in furthering the rifts that I perceive and as a result, I have no interest in sharing my feelings beyond the small group of people who are most affected. I want MOVE people to understand how I feel. In small groups, it’s easy for messages to accidentally become confused as they are passed from one person to the next, so I think that it will be clearer if people can read my thoughts themselves.
I also may not have much time or energy for discussions over the next couple of weeks. Maiga could go into labor at any time and most of my attention right now is focused on getting things ready for the baby. I’m a bit nervous about sending this letter out and the timing isn’t great, but I don’t want to lie about how I feel and I don’t want to dodge phone calls. I love you and you’re important to me.
Ona Move,
Kevin
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6/13/19
Dear Ria,
You’ve called many times since I last wrote and I haven’t picked up. As I said in the last letter, I’m not going to get into all of this over the phone, especially at a time when you call unexpectedly. I was trying to make it clear that if you were interested in talking then I wanted you to text so that we could schedule a time to meet up. That’s why I haven’t picked up the phone all of the times that you’ve called. However, the more I think about it the more I realize that a one-on-one conversation isn’t going to move things forward. We need to all get together in the same room so that we can all hear one another out. For years people have heard things about each other from a third party and it’s caused a lot of miscommunication, whereas if we’re all in one room together peoples’ feelings on various issues can be cleared up on the spot.
My behavior may seem sudden and hard to figure out, but I’m expressing concerns I’ve had for many years. I think that the fact that I’m about to be a father has made me seriously think about how I want to behave and the behavior I want to model. One thing that has come to the surface is that I want to be much clearer with people about how I feel. I don’t want to bite my tongue or make my daughter feel like she needs to compromise what she believes in in order to preserve comfortable relationships.
None of the things that I’m expressing here in any way change the love and appreciation that I have for you and Carlos, but I have certainly not always been assertive when I disagree with things. I think that part of the reason we’re in the place we are right now is because many people have not given you proper feedback. I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you that you are not an easy person to disagree with. In the past, it’s often felt like if one of us did not give you the response or opinion that you wanted to hear then you’d move on until you find someone who reinforces the opinion that you want to hear. I don’t think that this has been helpful to you.
I have a lot of theories about how things have gotten to this point and I don’t blame you or Bert, but it feels like things are out of balance. My theory is that when you and Bert got home from prison things on the outside were in disarray and you two had to be a strong, central force to pull things together. There were a lot of people to pull back into the fold, there were a lot of imbalances to correct, and there were small children who needed a lot of attention and guidance. You did an incredible job of steering the ship and getting things into shape and I think that the thriving state of the Organization when I met everyone in 1998 was in large part a result of that work. However, over the past twenty years, the younger generation have become competent adults with their own life experiences and their own fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in the world. The Seeds of Wisdom generation are now almost as old or older than you and Bert were when you came home from prison. It feels to me like you and Bert are still trying to be that central force that dictates direction, when things may actually flourish if you loosened your grip on the wheel and let others take some of the weight. Many of us are concerned about both of your health and feel that you carry too much stress. We all appreciate all that you have done but there needs to be a rebalancing.
It’s clear to anyone paying attention to the Organization that there is a divide and people don’t like it. One of the things that drew me and so many others to the Organization in the first place was the unity and solidarity with anyone standing up for life. I really don’t know what the conversations between you and Chuck have been like. I do know that the public perception of Chuck is not that he is disloyal or at odds with MOVE belief. In the time since I’ve been aware of Chuck’s disagreements with you and Bert, he has continued to write articles in Earth First Journal, various anarchist publications, and other journals, and in every one of them he talks about the importance of fighting for all life and he says “Long Live John Africa!.” A lot of people love Chuck and the public perception is that you guys are saying that you don’t care if he dies in prison. This isn’t just me saying this, this is what longtime supporter Omar (from Morocco) was saying publicly on Facebook yesterday (Orie deleted his comment).
I know that you don’t want to hear this and this is not what I want to happen, but I strongly believe that if you don’t open up dialogue with everyone in the Organization then you risk losing credibility with a lot of the support. The statement against Chuck (from what I’ve seen) has only been posted by Orie. It has not been re-shared by anyone. Since that statement was put up public support for Chuck has increased dramatically. Mike’s petition for Chuck has been re-shared dozens if not hundreds of times. People do not like this division and they are supporting Chuck because they feel that regardless of where he stands with the Organization he should be free because he is innocent. I am telling you all of this because I am concerned. I love MOVE and I love the unity that I felt when I first moved up here. Things have not felt that way in a long time. Everyone feels it, but we’re not talking about it together.
That’s what I’m looking for. It means enough to me that I’m willing to put my relationship with you on the line even though I love you and miss you. I don’t think that the direction that things are moving in is good for you or the Organization and if I have to push things to the point where I’m on the outside in order to try to push things into the open then I’m willing to do this. All of this timing is tricky because Maiga’s due date is today and this little girl could be here at any time. I won’t be available for a while if a meeting like this were to happen. However, I don’t need to be at the first one if it happens. It seems to me that it would take a lot of open dialogue to get things sorted out. If this is not going to happen then I will continue to talk to those who are open to having open conversations, I’ll keep supporting the MOVE 9 and Mumia, and I’ll keep doing my work to the best of my ability. I am not interested in having a one-on-one conversation about this though. For me a group conversation is the only thing that will help move things forward. I do love you and hope that you can try to understand my perspective on this.
OnaMove,
Kevin
PS - I’m sharing this with the same people I did last time because I want to be transparent.
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