PURPOSE:
To encourage fathers and father figures across the City of Philadelphia to become involved with their children's education • To understand the power and significance of their involvement with their children's education and power of a father's presence at their children's schools • To actively resist the banning of our literature and history, by mobilizing and collaborating with the UMOJA INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY to develop and implement strategies to increase the reading scores and literacy of students of the Philadelphia School District.

AGENDA
I. Welcome and Opening Remarks (10:00 - 10:10 AM)

• Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President & CEO of the House of Umoja

II. Introduction of Agenda and Speakers (10:10 - 10:15 AM)

• Anthony Bannister-Fattah, Coordinator, Philadelphia National Million Fathers March, Moderator

III. Purpose of the Philadelphia Million Fathers March (10:15 - 10:20 AM)

• Encourage father involvement in children's education
• Highlight the impact of fathers' presence in schools
• Address resistance to literature bans and promote literacy

IV. Speakers (10:20 - 10:40 AM)
V. Call to Action (10:40 - 10:50 AM)

• Details for August 26 March
• Registration information
• Alternative participation options

VI. Q&A Session (10:50 - 11:00 AM)
VII. Closing Remarks (11:00 - 11:05 AM) - Queen Mother Falaka Fattah

PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 21 August 2024 --  For the 17th consecutive year, the City Of Philadelphia will ring in the academic year for school children throughout the School District of Philadelphia, which commences on Monday, 26 August 2024, with the observance of the National Million Father March which the House Of Umoja, Inc. (https://houseofumoja.net) is leading and organizing.  
        On Monday, 26 August 2024 --  the first day of the 2024-2025 academic year for the School District Of Philadelphia, the House Of Umoja, Inc. will lead by example with a march from the institution’s office at 5625 West Master Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Overbrook High School which is located at 5898 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Fathers and Father Figures are asked to arrive at the House Of Umoja, Inc.’s office at 5625 West Master Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 7:00 A.M. on Monday, 26 August 2024.  Participants will also carpool to support those participants who are elderly or have health issues which may make it difficult for them to walk to Overbrook High School.  The cars will form a motorcade that will be a component of the march from the House Of Umoja, Inc. to Overbrook High School on Monday, 26 August 2024.  The 2024 National Million Father March in Philadelphia is supported in part by the Philadelphia Activities Fund (https://phlactivitiesfund.org);  the Father’s Day Rally Committee (https://fathersrally.com);  and City Of Philadelphia Councilmember The Honorable Curtis Jones, Jr.
              Established in 1968,  the House Of Umoja, Inc., an internationally acclaimed institution that has a successful track record in addressing and reducing violence and positively transforming the trajectory of the lives of over 3,000 male adolescents in Philadelphia that spans 56 years, is encouraging all Fathers throughout the City of Philadelphia to participate in the 2024 National Million Father March by taking a proactive role in the education of their child by, among other things:

• Escorting their child to school on Monday, 26 August 2024 – the first day of the 2024-2025 academic year for the School District of Philadelphia
• Meeting their child’s teachers and the principal of their child’s school
• Obtaining a copy of their child’s roster and a copy of the academic calendar of their child’s school
• Checking their child’s homework every day
• Reviewing their child’s test scores in English Language Arts, Science, Mathematics, etc.
• Enhancing their child’s literacy skills level by reading to their child and having their child read to them​

  “Improving exponentially the literacy skills of school age children throughout the School District of Philadelphia is a primary focus of the 2024 National Million Fathers March. This year the Philadelphia theme is #ReadingIsResistance.  Each year, through the administration of tests in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science statewide, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment measures the skill level of school children in English Language Arts – reading and writing – and mathematics and science.  I had an opportunity to review the 2022-2023 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test result for English Language Arts – reading and writing.  Only 34% of all of the school children enrolled in Grades 3 through 8 throughout the entire School District Of Philadelphia are proficient in English Language Arts – reading and writing.  Low reading levels of 4th grade students are one of the determinants of the school to prison pipeline. Our READING Is RESISTANCE Initiative, which was launched earlier this year will continue to address the abysmal lack of proficiency in literacy skills of students enrolled in the Philadelphia School District.   Through Reading Is Resistance, we will also continue to push back against the banning of African American literature and history,” remarked Queen Mother Falaka Fattah. 
 
        The National Million Father March is an initiative created by the late Mr. Philip Jackson which was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois under the auspices of the Black Star Project (www.blackstarproject.com).  For further information about the National Million Father March which is now orchestrated by Fathers Incorporated, visit the website of Fathers Incorporated at www.fathersincorporated.com or send an electronic mail communication to:  [email protected].
-https://www.houseofumoja.net/mfm
 
        For further information about the House Of Umoja, Inc., visit the institution’s website at https://www.houseofumoja.net; call (215) 473-5893; or send an electronic mail communication to:  [email protected].

CONTACT: 
 
Mr. Anthony Bannister-Fattah
Coordinator, 2024 Philadelphia Million Fathers March
House Of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail:  [email protected]
 
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah
President and Chief Executive Officer
House Of Umoja, Inc.
Advisor, 2024 National Million Father March
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail:  [email protected]

P R E S S A D V I S O RY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anthony Bannister-Fattah (left) speaks at the entrance to Overbrook High School after leading a march to highlight the importance of fathers in preventing violence. He is accompanied by City Councilmember Curtis Jones (center) and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (right). (PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WHYY/Emma Lee). 

CONTACT: 
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President & CEO
(215) 473-5893; [email protected]
 
        PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 20  February 2024 – Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – the birthplace of the United States of America – the House Of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.net), a globally acclaimed institution, will launch its “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative in partnership with The City Root (https://www. thecityroot.com), an online publication which is founded by Mr. Kevin Chevalier who serve as the publication’s Publisher and Editor, in observance of African American History Month on Saturday, 24 February 2024 from 6:00 P.M. through 10:00 P.M. at the Ultra Silk Gallery, 3808 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..    “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative is the brainchild of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President and Chief Executive Officer of the House of Umoja Inc. and a component of Philadelphia’s observance of the National Million Father March.   Addressing the rise in the banning of African American literature by schools and public libraries that is occurring in cities throughout the United States will also be explored by the House Of Umoja, Inc. during its observance of African American History Month on Saturday, 24 February 2024 at the Ultra Silk Gallery at 3808 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.   The American Civil Liberties Union in Massachusetts (www.aclum.org) provides a list of literary works penned by African American authors that are being removed from schools and public libraries on its website. A number of schools and public libraries in Western Pennsylvania; Bucks County, Pennsylvania; and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania have removed literary works penned by African American authors.  The arbitrary removal of books in schools and public libraries that has occurred in Pennsylvania, which raises constitutional issues, is being met with legislative push back.  Pennsylvania State Senator The Honorable Amanda Cappelletti has introduced legislation into the Pennsylvania General Assembly which prohibits schools and public libraries from banning books (see “Montgomery County State Senator Wants PA To Prevent Schools, Libraries From Banning Books” at https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/bill-prevent-book-bans-school-libraries-pennsylvania).  The book bans initiated by school boards in Pennsylvania are also being challenged by parents and community activists who have filed right-to-know requests to gain access to information regarding the various school boards’ decision to ban books (see “Moms For Liberty’s Extreme Agenda Gets Pushback From Pennsylvania Community,” at https://www. advocate.com/news/pennsylvania-pushback-moms-for-liberty). 

Therefore on Saturday, February 24, 2024 from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm, House of Umoja Inc will co-host art and activism series PIECES OF PEACE at Ultra Silk Gallery located 3808 Lancaster Avenue in University City. Event is partnered with The City Root, an online Rolling Stone-esque publication, features the “Books vs Bullets 1968 - Present,” a multi-sensory panel discussion accentuated by an art exhibit, and live performances.

Currently, the 55 year old House of Umoja Inc. is continuing its 17th year as the Philadelphia component of the National Million Fathers March;  the march mobilizes fathers and father figures to be active in their children’s education. In 2007, the late David Fattah, Sr., patriarch of the House of Umoja, were selected by the late Philip Jackson, Founder of the Black Star Project and the Million Fathers March, to implement the march in the City of Philadelphia, teacher, David Fattah, Sr. proudly took the mantle and for twelve years mobilized fathers, uncles, neighbors, mentors, and friends to walk their children to school on the first day, secured their children’s rosters, met their teachers and school staff, and became more engaged in their children’s education. 

With a special focus on non-custodial fathers, in 2019 the House of Umoja launched its “Fathers Lead to Read Literacy Campaign,” led by Anthony Bannister-Fattah. He is the grandson of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President and CEO of the House of Umoja, to encourage fathers and their children of any age to read and discuss books among one another as a bonding and educational exercise.

The City Root is an online, Rolling Stone-esque publication focused on the Greater Philadelphia Area that highlights the incredibly talented music scene and publishes important and entertaining stories and articles — from social commentary and media to sports and satire. Led by Publisher & Editor, Kevin Chevalier, The City Root is proud to bring Pieces of Peace to Ultra Silk Gallery alongside House of Umoja to showcase artist Amber Fulton, a student from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and the DASH program, and to offer a stage to an established group, Purple Phire, that deserves more shine. Further, Mr. Chevalier, a teacher and coach at Sayre, recognizes how valuable the Million Fathers March could be for his students and how beneficial an emphasis on reading will be in order to create more opportunities in higher education and in their future profession.

The House of Umoja, Inc., a Pennsylvania registered 501(c)(3) organization that empowers youth and communities through peace, culture, innovation, and education, drawing from its rich history of transforming lives, brokering peace, and creating global models of social change.

CONTACT:
Anthony Bannister-Fattah, Philadelphia Coordinator, 2024 Million Fathers March
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, Advisor - 2024 Philadelphia National Million Fathers March
House of Umoja, Inc. (Umoja, Inc.)
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail: [email protected] ​