HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. LEADS NATIONAL MILLION FATHER MARCH IN CITY OF PHILADELPHIA FOR 11TH YEAR AND MARKS ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY: PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR 23 AUGUST 2018 AT 11:00 A.M. (E.S.T.)

 HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC.

5625 W. Master Street

Philadelphia, PA  19131

(215) 473-5893

Facsimile:  (215) 879-5340

E-Mail:  falakafattah@aol.com

Website:  www.houseofumoja.net

CONTACT:

Mr. David Fattah, Coordinator
National Million Father March – City of Philadelphia
House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail:  falakafattah@aol.com

                                       

PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) --  22 August 2018 – As the 50^th anniversary of one of Philadelphia’s iconic institutions – the House of Umoja, Inc. (www.hoiuseofumoja.net)  ---nears, the 2018 National Million Father March which it leads and organizes will be conducted twice – on Monday, 27 August 2018 and again on Tuesday, 4 September 2018.  Fathers of students enrolled in the School District of Philadelphia’s public schools will be encouraged to escort their child to school on Monday, 27 August 2018 -- the first day of the 2018-2019 academic year for public schools.   Students enrolled in charter schools in the School District of Philadelphia will be escorted by their Fathers to school on 4 September 2018, which is the first day of the 2018-2019 academic year for charter schools. The theme song for the 2018 National Million Father March will be “RESPECT”, the signature song of the late Queen of Soul Ms. Aretha Franklin.    Introducing Philadelphia’s children to real-life options; the continued emphasis on increasing the literacy rate of the City’s children –particularly, boys and adolescent males who underperform their female counterparts in literacy skills examinations; and the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the House of Umoja, Inc. will be the centerpiece of a press conference hosted by Philadelphia City Councilman The Honorable Curtis Jones, Jr. on Thursday, 23 August 2018 at 11:00 A.M. (E.S.T.) in City Council Caucus Room 401 on the fourth floor of City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

The press conference will be conducted by Mr. David Fattah of the House of Umoja, Inc. and the City of Philadelphia’s Coordinator for the National Million Father March.  Key stakeholders, including but not limited to, clergy, educators, school administrators, legislators, business leaders, grassroots community organizations, legal professionals, law enforcement professionals, block captains, concerned citizens, members of Philadelphia’s creative community, Fatherhood Advocates and Practitioners, Restorative Justice Thought Leaders, health care professionals and providers, social services professionals and providers, and members of the print and electronic media are encouraged to attend the press conference.   Selected in 2007 to lead the National Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia, by Mr. Phillip Jackson, Founder of the Black Star Project located in Chicago, Illinois, the House of Umoja, Inc. has moved Fathers in Philadelphia to become proactive in the academic affairs of their child and to develop collaborative working relationships with the principal and teachers of their child’s school for the past 10 years.   

“Fathers throughout the City of Philadelphia are being encouraged to escort their child to school; meet the principal of their child’s school and their child’s teachers; obtain a copy of their child’s academic roster and a copy of the school’s calendar for the academic year; and help develop and enhance their child’s literacy skills.  Students attending Philadelphia’s public schools will be escorted by their Father on Monday, 27 August 2018 – the first day of the academic year for public schools.   Philadelphia’s charter schools will ring in the 2018-2019 academic year on Tuesday, 4 September 2018 and we are encouraging the Fathers of children attending charter schools to escort their child to school on that day.  We want Fathers to establish a good rapport with the principal of their child’s school and their child’s teachers.  In other words, ‘be nice’.   Last year, the National Million Father March in Philadelphia focused on increasing the literacy rate for all of our children – particularly for boys and adolescent males, who as a whole, are not performing well on literacy skills examinations.  Again this year, the 2018 National Million Father March is raising the bar on literacy for Philadelphia’s children.  We want every child in the City of Philadelphia to have a reading level that is at least one grade above their current grade. Ensuring that our children have well-honed literacy skills is a shared responsibility.  Parents must emphasize the importance of reading and the development of reading comprehension and writing comprehension skills to their child and they must monitor their child’s progress.  If we are going to raise expectations for our children – academically – then we must give them something to aspire to. Introducing our children to real-life options will give them something to aspire to.  Providing our children with the opportunity to meet and speak with professionals in the real estate, medical, legal, scientific, publishing, marketing, architectural, engineering, financial management, and information technology fields will introduce them to real-life options and give them something to aspire to.   The 2018 National Million Father March proposes the creation of partnerships that connect Philadelphia’s business and professional community with schools in every neighborhood -- a partnership that not only introduces our children to real-life options, but also provides them with internships and apprenticeships which will serve as a pathway to their becoming gainfully employed upon their graduation from high school and, subsequently, college,” remarked Mr. Fattah.

The House of Umoja, Inc. will lead by example on each day of the 2018 National Million Father March.  Fathers participating in the 2018 National Million March which rings in the 2018-2019 academic year for Philadelphia’s public schools are asked to assemble at 7:00 A.M. (E.S.T.) on Monday, 27 August 2018 at the House of Umoja, Inc.’s office located at 5625 West Master Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Fathers assembled at the House of  Umoja, Inc. on Monday, 27 August 2018, led by Mr. David Fattah, Philadelphia’s Coordinator for the Nation Million Fathers March, will walk to the Commodore John Barry Elementary School located at 5900 Race Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   For Philadelphia’s charter schools, the 2018-2019 academic year will commence on Tuesday, 4 September 2018.  Fathers are being asked to ring in the 2018-2019 academic year for Philadelphia’s charter schools by arriving at 7:00 A.M. (E.S.T.) on Tuesday, 4 September 2018 at the House Of Umoja, Inc.’s office.  The route of the 2018 National Million March being led by the House of Umoja, Inc. and Mr. David Fattah, the City of Philadelphia’s Coordinator for the National Million Father March will begin at the  House of Umoja, Inc.’s office at 5625 West Master Street and end at the Universal Daroff Charter School located at 5630 Vine Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

 And how will the House of Umoja, Inc. mark its latest milestone – its 50^th anniversary?

“The 2018 National Million Father March is the first of a series of initiatives that will mark the House of Umoja, Inc,’s fiftieth anniversary. Our next initiative will be the implementation of the Imani Peace Pledge™ -- we want children throughout the City of Philadelphia to commit to nonviolence by signing the Imani Peace Pledge™.  Events are planned throughout the remainder of the year that celebrate the House of Umoja, Inc.’s fiftieth anniversary – which include the viewing of a  documentary which explores the history of the House of Umoja, Inc. – ‘A Place Called Home’ at the Wynnefield Library located at 5325 Overbrook Avenue where an exhibit of the Imani Peace Pact ™ will be on display.  Panel discussions are planned and the celebration of the House of Umoja, Inc.’s fiftieth anniversary will be rounded out with a ‘Founder’s Day’ observance during Kwanzaa.  We will be issuing announcements about the events and initiatives that are planned to mark our fiftieth anniversary in the coming days and weeks,” Mr. Fattah explained.

        An internationally acclaimed organization, the House of Umoja, Inc.’s successful track record of transforming and working with youths has moved universities and institutions that include, but are not limited to, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Prevention and the Center for Disease Control, to seek the expertise of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah and her husband Mr. David Fattah in the areas of gang reduction, youth programming, and community organizing.  Former United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and the late Ronald Reagan have recognized the House Of Umoja, Inc. for its pioneering work which has been documented in published articles such as A Summons To Life, by Robert Woodson of the American Enterprise Institute in 1981 and The Violent Juvenile Offender by Paul DeMuro and Richard Allison of the National Council On Crime And Delinquency in 1984.  For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc., call (215) 473-5893, send an e-mail to falakafattah@aol.com, or visit the organization’s website at www.houseofumoja.net.

           Inaugurated in 2003 in Chicago, Illinois, the National Million Father March is the brainchild of Mr. Philip Jackson, the Founder and Executive Director of The Black Star Project (www.blackstarproject.org) which offers academic and mentoring programs for children, workforce development projects, and school services.  For further information about The Black Star Project, visit its website at www.blackstarproject.org

#          #          #