Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication and the Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting will present a staged reading of Move Mocks Us All, a powerful new play written by former Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Maida Odom. The reading will take place on Friday, May 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tomlinson Theater, located at 1301 W. Norris St. in Philadelphia. 

Directed by Temple MFA theater student and artist Ontaria Kim Wilson, Move Mocks Us All offers a deeply personal exploration of one of Philadelphia’s darkest chapters—the 1985 MOVE bombing. Wilson, who witnessed the event as a 10-year-old child, says the project holds special significance. 

“Maida’s offering is the answer to the questions the 10-year-old Ontaria asked when she witnessed the helicopter drop the bomb from her kitchen door on May 13, 1985,” Wilson said. “Forty years later, I have the honor of directing a piece of art that has been frozen in time but still speaks to the hearts and minds of Philadelphia and its residents.” 

Odom brings firsthand experience to the story. On that tragic day, she was stationed just steps away from 6221 Osage Avenue as a young reporter covering what began as a standoff between the police and members of MOVE. She spent more than 28 hours at the scene, only leaving shortly before the police dropped explosives on the MOVE house. The attack killed 11 people—including five children—and destroyed 61 homes, leaving 250 people homeless. 

Deeply affected by the trauma she witnessed, Odom turned to playwriting to process her experience. Move Mocks Us All serves as both a personal reckoning and a larger call to remember, reflect and heal, particularly as the 40th anniversary of the tragedy approaches. 

“It’s an honor to bring this important work to the Philadelphia community,” said Yvonne Latty, director of the Logan Center. “Maida and the other heroic reporters who covered this traumatic event were essentially doing war reporting in a Philly neighborhood.” 

Following the reading, a talkback discussion will be hosted by Linn Washington Jr., producer and host of the new podcast MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy, which captures first-hand accounts from journalists, neighbors and survivors—including Odom herself. Odom and Wilson will join Washington, who has covered MOVE for nearly 50 years, to discuss the play, the legacy of the bombing and the ongoing impact on the city. 

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to register at movemocksusall.eventbrite.com.