The Move 9 and their Impact on Me

Ona Move

I was asked recently to contribute a piece on the Move 9 for the chronicles and the impact they have had on my life. It's hard for me to talk about my brothers and sisters on a personal level and then share it on a public level. It's touchy for me but this is for their freedom so here it goes. For 36 years now, my brothers and sisters have set a strong revolutionary example in Pennsylvania prisons. They have been unjustly imprisoned all these years, and have not a one of them ever turned traitor to their belief in the teachings of JOHN AFRICA. Now that is impressive.

Despite all of their legal appeals being exhausted, despite some of them having their babies murdered by this system on May 13th 1985, despite periods of solitary - none of them have been broken. They are in the prisons teaching about JOHN AFRICA'S  REVOLUTION. They are helping inmates to get off drugs, they are helping mothers and fathers establish relationships with their children on the outside. It's impressive when you visit, cause I know that there will be times when I go up to visit them I might be depressed or going through things and they will be spending time on a visit helping me pull myself together and motivating me.



Here I'm supposed to be in there bringing them cheer but it's the other way around they are motivating me. These are people who have now spent close to four decades in prison who are still upbeat even stronger than when they first went to prison and are still Ona Move. The Parole Board has tried to turn them all against each other but they are all unified and committed to Revolution that puny tactic that the parole pushed did nothing. Now that is very impressive. This example motivates me to keep pushing on in my work and has saved my life.

If they can stay strong all these years in prison then I know I can stay strong out here in my work out here on the street. My sister Merle Africa spent the last twenty years of her life in prison and not once turned traitor to her belief the thought never entered her mind. The Move 9 are setting an example for people all over the world to see. More and more people are seeing the strong example of the Move 9 and are getting ONA MOVE. This is the best way I can describe my 9 brothers and sisters and what they have meant to me.

Merle, Janet, Debbie, Janine, Eddie, Delbert, Phil, Mike, and Chuck - I love all of you and I'll see y'all soon cause y'all are coming home soon LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA FOREVER

-Orie