Happy Independence Day: How July 2nd Changed the MOVE Narrative Forever

Murder at Ryans Run: exposing the cult of John Africa

July 2nd resonates with profound significance – marking both the launch of this podcast four years ago and the day Pixie Africa broke free from MOVE with her five children. That courageous exodus, described as "driving a tank through a concrete wall," shattered decades of silence and control, allowing truth to finally emerge from within the organization.
This date now stands as an Independence Day for MOVE survivors – a powerful counterpoint to the dates MOVE itself commemorates. When those born and raised inside finally said "no more lies, no more fear," they changed the trajectory of the organization forever and reclaimed their narrative. Their testimony revealed shocking truths about life inside MOVE: physical abuse, psychological manipulation, medical neglect, educational deprivation, and such profound despair that some children contemplated suicide.
Yet MOVE continues operating openly – in classrooms, on campuses, and in political spaces. They're even collaborating with Hollywood figures like Lee Daniels and Regina Hall to adapt Mike's book into a movie, potentially burying victims' stories beneath a sanitized narrative. Their motto – "never give up, never back down" – isn't just a slogan but a warning that demands our vigilance and truth-telling.
I'm expanding my platforms to continue this vital work.

Subscribe to my new Substack "Beth is Not Afraid" for behind-the-scenes details and latest reporting.

Check out my merchandise featuring designs that spark conversations about MOVE's realities – including the infamous "Ham Africa" moniker that exposes how leaders secretly ate meat while their followers and children subsisted on inadequate raw food diets. And their supporters praised them for being animal rights leaders on the scale of PETA.
To every source who trusted me with their story: I care for you, respect you, and am immensely proud of you. You showed extraordinary courage in speaking truth when it still cost you something. And to everyone listening – share this podcast, amplify these voices, and join me in ensuring this story that began with MOVE ultimately ends with truth and justice. Because the mirror MOVE holds up shows not just who they are, but who we are by what we choose to tolerate, ignore, or excuse.

July 2nd, 2021 - put it on the timeline of MOVE's 50-year history as the day their victims exposed them as a dangerous cult.

Read Kevin Price's Blog post

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The producers of this podcast wish to stress that all individuals reference in this series are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States of America.

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Executive Produced, reported, hosted, and edited by Beth McNamara
Additional research by Robert Helms
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All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed to be innocent unless or until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a United States court of law.

Chapters

1. Content Warning & Introduction (00:00:00)

2. July 2nd: MOVE's Independence Day (00:01:13)

3. Fighting Back Against MOVE's Narrative (00:04:19)

4. Share Truth: Substack & Merch (00:06:25)

5. Independence From Silence & Complicity (00:08:18)

6. Call to Action & Final Thoughts (00:10:05)