Testament to Robert Frey’s character

I remain dismayed and depressed by the unfortunate fate of my good friend, the late Bob Frey. Never in the 30 years I knew him did he lose his temper at an individual or express violent behavior, as aggression or in self-defense. Bob’s friendliness and amiability were genuine and natural, not forced or self-serving. He approached everyone as a potential friend, and assumed that people were trustworthy and honest. Even if they proved otherwise he would generally give them the benefit of the doubt – it was his nature to trust people.

Bob’s nature allowed others to take advantage of him, but that never made him a violent person – he would find other ways to generate income instead of trying to force others to meet their obligations. While in Oakland Bob had many individuals stay at his home. One friend of mine would not pay the rent. Bob didn’t threaten or evict him. He was willing to allow people extra time to fulfill their promises, because he believed they were as honest as he was, and because he did not like confrontation. To Bob, confrontation with an individual was a losing battle that soured communication and prevented the development of alternate plans.
Bob was an activist concerned about civil rights and social justice for all people, but particularly those of women, the impoverished, and cultures that had been devalued historically. He was astutely aware of women’s rights and no one who knew him would construe him as sexist or misogynistic.

The story of his murderers that I have heard suggests that he approached Ana Maria Diaz Cedano in an inappropriate manner when she and Oscar Adolfo Velazquez Munguia came to Bob’s residence to pay their rent, and that Mr. Munguia killed Bob to protect Ms. Cedano. My conclusion is that Ms. Cedano and Mr. Munguia did not know Bob well- if they had, they would never have concocted such a ludicrous excuse. Besides being so uncharacteristic of my friend, this story portrays him as stupid, which he was not. It makes him sound rude rather than gracious, and argumentative instead of reasonable. Bob Frey would have invited his tenants in, discussed the property and payment of their rent, or the reason for delayed payment, offered some sort of refreshment, and opened up a discussion to engage them in some kind of social participation. He would never provoke a confrontation with an individual, man or woman, let alone a pair of people.

Bob Frey’s death is a terrible loss for his friends and his community since he had a beneficial influence on all who knew him. He was a rare individual and a wonderful resource. I’m in no position to judge the guilt or innocence of two strangers, but there is no doubt in my mind that the story attributed to Ms. Cedano and Mr. Munguia is incorrect.

Sincerely,

John Butchart
4/14/2012

I met Bob

Camping on his 60th

I met Bob Frey in January of 1979. He was riding a bicycle with a young person (his very young son) strapped in a carrier. I joined the Oakland Food Collective soon thereafter and many of the OFC administrative duties were completed at Bob Frey’s house. In the 33 years I knew Bob Frey there were some constants, among them; alternative energy, locally produced produce, sustainable business practices, computer innovations used for public good, solidary with oppressed people. However, as a neighbor, a friend and a sometime fellow critic of government policies, I never knew Bob Frey to be disrespectful to women, a drunkard, or an abuser of drugs. I recall talks with Bob Frey in which we spoke about acquaintances that had one or all of these problems and Bob neither was that person nor did he want to be that person. He was a sincere upright individual who was an asset to our neighborhood, state, country and world who retired to the Mexico he knew well and loved.

Ed Cullen
Oakland, CA

It was my honor to know my friend Robert

To the Authorities in Ensenada:

It was my honor and pleasure to know my friend Robert Frey for over 30 years. I knew him as a neighbor, friend and community activist and good father to his children. He was a kind, gentle intelligent person. Over the years, I saw him in many circumstances, happy and sad. Bob was friendly and outgoing but never aggressive or abusive. He never was physically aggressive to anyone, man woman or child.

He was always fond of women but never inappropriate in any way. Neither any of the women I know nor I have ever seen or experienced him being inappropriate to any woman in word or touch. While Bob did enjoy beer, he was never a violent drunk, nor did he abuse drugs. Even during his cancer treatment, he was careful in his use of pain medication. My only regret is that Bob’s life was taken from him and we will never be able to spend any more time together. He had so much more to give the world and his friends and family.

Sincerely,
Ann O’Connor

Roberto Frey: Ciclo Va, Mercado Verde y Transición Ensenada

Conocí a Roberto Frey en el verano de 2005 en ese tiempo el aún no se jubilaba así que iba y venía de Oakland, California lugar en donde trabajaba a aquí a Ensenada, me lo presentó Carolina Sotelo amiga de varios años, ella vivía en casa de Roberto, le cuidaba en ese entonces su casa frente a las rosas, estábamos en la galería del ICBC en donde mi hermano Eduardo y yo estábamos inaugurando una de nuestras exposiciones de escultura; en cuanto lo conocí empezamos a platicar sobre el proyecto de tener una vía alterna por donde pudieran andar las bicicletas, yo le platicaba que ya había una ruta propuesta, un andador por donde pudieran rodar bicicletas desde la UABC campus Sauzal hasta el Cañón de Doña Petra, incluía varias colonias de la ciudad y que era ganadora de un concurso lo habían diseñado mis amigos los arquitectos Fabiola Renau y Pedro Camarena. Desde ese entonces nació una amistad coincidente en los temas del arte y del cuidado del Medio ambiente.

Roberto y yo nos seguimos viendo en exposiciones de arte, en reuniones con los amigos para festejar, en la universidad, en el centro de las artes él siempre estaba atento al acontecer cultural, siempre solicito en apoyar cuestiones de protección al ambiente y del cuidado de la atmósfera.

Desde el día en que lo conocí siempre fue muy atento y respetuoso para conmigo y todas las mujeres que lo rodeaban, siempre con una sonrisa alegre y con palabras de aliento hacia los demás, la mayoría de las veces que lo veía andaba montado en su bicicleta pedaleando de norte a sur, de este a oeste.

Aproximadamente en febrero de 2009 nos reunimos en el centro de las artes Roberto Frey, Alicia Watanabe, Diane Lou Sandoval, Juan Díaz y yo para comenzar con el proyecto que diera vida a lo que hoy es Ciclo Va, en ese entonces grupo pro ciclo vía e iniciamos los paseos de los jueves saliendo de lo que hoy es el edificio del antiguo palacio municipal para recorrerlo en bicicleta hasta el centro de las artes de Ensenada.

Un año más tarde iniciamos el proyecto de Mercado Verde, en donde la idea es que los productores artesanales a pequeña escala de hortaliza y productos de la región tuviéramos un lugar en donde exhibir y vender nuestros productos orgánicos. Por aquel entonces también nació el proyecto de Transición de Ensenada en donde la idea es el trabajo de educación que tenemos que tener cada uno de nosotros para prepararnos al cambio que sufriremos cuando ya no tengamos petróleo para que mueva al mundo.

Vi a Roberto por última vez una horas antes de que Ana y su novio lo mataran para robarlo, estábamos en el Culture Beat en una clase de Ditcha, nos despedimos como a las nueve treinta de la noche, en dos días se iría de viaje así que nos despedimos, le desee lo mejor y que regresara pronto. Mi amigo, por la ambición de dos jóvenes descarrilados sin oficio ni beneficio, perdió la vida.

Lic. Rita Beadle Luna
Escultora y Ambientalista