CONTACTS:
Mr. Tommy Joshua Caison, Founder and Executive Director, Philly Peace Park
Telephone:  (215) 307-7102, E-Mail:  bringblacklife@gmail.com, Website:  www.phillypeacepark.org
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President, House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893, E-Mail:  falakafattah@aol.com, Website:  www.houseofumoja.net/pressroom 

          PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 18 December 2021 –  Building on the success of Round One of the Gun Violence Cease Fire implemented in the Carroll Park neighborhood of West Philadelphia which resulted in no fatal or nonfatal shootings during the Gun Violence Cease Fire and a dramatic reduction in gun violence throughout the City of Philadelphia, that began on Monday, 20 November 2021 at 12:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) and ended on Monday, 29 November 2021 at 12:00 A.M. (E.D.T.), Partners In Peace, an intergenerational coalition of organizations and community stakeholders will unveil plans for Round Two of a Gun Violence Cease Fire at a Monday, 20 December 2021 - 12:00 P.M. (E.D.T.) press conference.  The press conference will convene at the House of Umoja, Inc. at 5625 West Master Street in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.   Dubbed the “Christmas-Kwanzaa” Cease Fire, Round Two of the Gun Violence Cease Fire will commence 12:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) on Monday 20 December 2021 and end 12:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) on Saturday, 1 January 2022, IMANI, the last day of Kwanzaa. January 1, 2022, the last day of Kwanzaa is being declared as “Imani Day Of Peace” by Partners In Peace. In alliance with the Philly Truce Coalition, these intergenerational coalitions have selected six neighborhoods heavily impacted by Philadelphia’s gun violence emergency as the Gun Violence Cease Fire Zones for Round Two’s “Christmas-Kwanzaa” Cease Fire.  The Gun Violence Cease Fire Zones will expand into the neighborhoods of North Philadelphia, Northwest Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, Southwest Philadelphia, and Kensington.

          “Partners In Peace is again calling for one hundred men and women from our impacted communities to donate two hours each day throughout the cease fire period which begins on Monday, 20 December 2021 at 12:00 A.M.  and ends on Saturday, 1 January 2021 – Imani – the last day of Kwanzaa – which has been designed  ‘Imani Day Of Peace’.   Our goal is to negotiate Mutual Code of Conduct Interim Community Agreements within the neighborhoods that are components of Round Two of the ‘Christmas-Kwanzaa’ Cease Fire Gun Violence Cease Fire Zones. One hundred  peacekeepers will form ten teams of ten leaders that will cover ten blocks within each of the Gun Violence Cease Fire Zones.   This is known as the ‘10 -10-10 Strategy’. Partners In Peace in a grassroots and intergenerational partnership between the House of Umoja and the Philly Peace Park  which has since joined hands with lead organizations such as Philly Truce App, Block Captains, the Black Male Council of Philadelphia, the Urban League of Philadelphia, the Blackwell Cultural Alliance, Fathers Rally Day Committee, along with many other organizations.  In order for the violence to stop, for the violence to cease, it’s not going to come from more money being spread around, it’s not going to come from more police being deployed. It’s not going to come from more punishment. It’s going to come from God, the master, working on our hearts…You are going to see a renaissance. You are going to see the mightiest renaissance that we’ve ever seen in the history of our people and the history of Philadelphia once we establish peace. The new reality for Philadelphia, starting here this day, is a reality of peace,” remarked Mr. Tommy Joshua Caison, the Founder and Executive Director of Philly Peace Park (www.phillypeacepark.org).

           The designation of 1 January 2022, which is New Year’s Day and the last day of Kwanzaa – “Imani” – by Partners In Peace as the “Imani Day Of Peace” is rooted in an historically transformative event that occurred on 1 January 1974.  On that date, leaders of Philadelphia’s street organizations signed the Imani Peace Pact which helped to reduce and end decades of bloody and deadly violence fueled by gang territorial issues that played out in the city’s streets and schoolyards.  The signing of the Imani Peace Pledge, penned by the late Mr. David Fattah, patriarch of the House of Umoja, Inc. and husband of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah launched the successful “No Gang War In ‘74” Campaign which she coordinated.

           “In designating 1 January 2022 as ‘Imani Day Of Peace’,  Partners In Peace under the leadership of Tommy Joshua Caison is building on the knowledge of the past – a past replete with collaborative, holistic, and African-centered solutions.  The current gun violence emergency  the City of Philadelphia is painfully reminiscent of rampant gun violence that extinguished lives throughout the 1960s and into the early 1970s.   Back then, the House of Umoja, Inc. and incarcerated souls at Pennsylvania’s prisons brought warring gang leaders throughout the City of Philadelphia to the peace table in 1974.   The ‘peace table’ took the form of a peace conference planned by a group of incarcerated souls.  My late husband negotiated a peace treaty that took the form of the “Imani Peace Pledge™ which he wrote.   On 1 January 1974, leaders of Philadelphia’s gangs signed the Imani Peace Pledge™ and they continue to honor the commitment to nonviolence they made nearly 48 years ago.  They support Partners In Peace and are very proactive in establishing the Gun Violence Cease Fire Zones and implementing Mr. Caison’s ’10-10-10’ strategy designed to return peace to the streets.   We are going back to the future to save lives, plant seeds of peace, and help eradicate Philadelphia’s gun violence emergency. A new generation of young souls is being asked to honor their Fathers, Grandfathers, and Great Grandfathers who signed the Imani Peace Pact  forty-seven years ago and kept their word, by  signing the Imani Pledge which can be found at https://www.houseofumoja.net/imani-pledge.html and not taking the life of another soul,” remarked Queen Mother Falaka, President of the House of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.net). 

            To learn more about the intergenerational collective of community stakeholders and organizations – Partners  In  Peace – and how you can usher in a “New Reality Of Peace” for the City of Philadelphia and support Round Two of the Gun Violence Cease Fire that commence on Monday 20 December 2021 at 12:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) and end on Saturday, 1 January 2022 at 12:00 A.M. (E.D.T.). the last day of Kwanzaa – Imani of the  Gun Violence Cease Fire Zones, contact Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President of the House of Umoja, Inc. at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com and Mr. Tommy Joshua Caison Founder and Executive Director of Philly Peace Park at (215) 307-7102 or send an e-mail to:  bringblacklife@gmail.com. 

         For further information about Philly Peace Park which has distributed 3,000 pounds of free fresh and healthy produce to community members since 2018 and, through several school partnerships, provides students enrolled in Grades K-12 with ecologically-based programs that comprise planting, harvesting, landscape design and construction, composting, pollinators, plant identification, and art, visit its website at  www.philly peacepark.org.

         For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc. visit its website at www.houseofumoja.net..  Established in 1968, the House of Umoja, Inc. is an  internationally acclaimed institution that has, for five decades, designed and implemented timeless Global Models for eradicating violence, fostering community development, creating economic sustainability, and addressing many of the key challenges that prevent boys and adolescent males from reaching their full potential and maturing into productive and successful adults.  Its successful track record of positively transforming the lives of approximately 3,000 male adolescents and  reducing gang violence, moved universities and institutions to seek the House of Umoja, Inc.’s expertise.   The Office of Juvenile Justice and Prevention and the Center for Disease Control were among the institutions that sought the House of Umoja, Inc.’s expertise on gang violence reduction, youth programming, and community organizing.   Former United States Presidents The Honorable James Earl Carter, Jr. and the late Honorable Ronald Wilson Reagan recognized the House of Umoja, Inc. for its pioneering work that has been documented in published articles such as “A Summons To Life”, by Robert Woodson of the American Enterprise Institute (www.aei.org)  in 1981 and “The Violent Juvenile Offender”, by Paul DeMuro = and Richard Allison of the National Council On Crime and Delinquency (www.nccdglobal.org), in 1984.

​PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 20 September 2021 –  Souls of African descent from ages 18 through 25 are the Diaspora’s “Next Generation Of Leaders”.  What are their concerns?  What are the most challenging aspects of their lives?  What is the vision they have for their future, their community’s future, and the future of the world they will inherit when their Elders pass the baton of leadership to them?  How will they create and nurture fully functional and sustainable family units, economically vibrant and self-sufficient communities, and a peaceful world?   Where do we go from here?

UMOJA Magazine was founded in 1968 by Queen Mother Falaka Fattah.  It is published quarterly  by the House of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.net), an internationally acclaimed organization which has a fifty-three year successful track record in positively transforming the lives of adolescent male youths, is asking  the Diaspora’s “Next Generation Of Leaders” – souls from the ages of 18 through 25 – to provide their community with a blueprint for the future.   The publication has issued a “Call For Submissions” for its “Where Do We Go From Here?” Youth Edition which will be released on 1 January 2022, the last day of Kwanzaa – Imani – and the first day of the New Year.

Submissions for the “Where Do We Go From Here?” Youth Edition of UMOJA Magazine should be forwarded by writers from 18 through 25 years of age on or by 30 November 2021 by e-mail to falakafattah@aol.com.  A panel of judges will be convened to select the best article and the writer of the best article will be the recipient of a scholarship.  In addition to writers UMOJA Magazine is searching for panelists to review incoming articles and select the best articles and sponsors to contribute to the scholarship that will be awarded to the winner of the best article which will be published in the “Where Do We Go From Here?” Youth Edition of UMOJA Magazine.

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.

Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. With A Moment of Silence Recognizes the Late David Fattah as Fathers Passionately Commit to Be Active in Their Children’s Education 

Philadelphia, PA - 7:30am Tuesday, August 31, 2021, amidst the twists, the turns, and time changes of the launch of a new Philadelphia school season within a pandemic environment, the 2021 Million Fathers March in determination heads to Overbrook High School at 59th Street & Lancaster Avenue. Anthony Bannister-Fattah, the grandson of Queen Mother Falaka and the late David Fattah, leads the charge. Hakim Starkey on drums brings wandering minds in focus to the task at hand. In cultural call and response, Anthony Bannister-Fattah sings, “Calling All Fathers” as fathers and surrogate fathers answer, “Get involved!” 

Cars honk in agreement and support, school and Septa buses respectfully acknowledge and navigate around the march while school crossing guards jam with the flow. The march stopped in front of Overbrook High School as real messages of accountability, action, love, and hope were shared by Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., Curtis Williams of Revolutionary Vision Community Resource Center, Dante Leonard of We Embrace Fatherhood along with other men who gave moments of encouragement.  

​The march then moved across the street to Tustin Playground at 5901 Columbia Avenue. Anthony Bannister-Fattah then shared next steps while Councilman Jones declared the Million Father March is not just a yearly event, the march is an ongoing effort with continued collaboration of fatherhood and community organizations. Mr. Bannister-Fattah shared the Read2Lead Bonding Initiative where fathers read with their children -- an agreed upon book is chosen to read together and discuss. Non-custodial fathers are especially encouraged to adopt the Read2Lead Bonding exercise. Men may commit to the Million Father March pledge and register to participate with the ongoing activities of Philadelphia’s Million Fathers March at https://houseofumoja.net/mfm. 
In front of the Tustin Playground banner, Mr. Bannister-Fattah closed out by announcing that Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Coby Bryant, is building two new basketball courts at Tustin Playground this fall in honor of Kobe and Gigi Bryant. 

The 2021 Million Father March has kicked-off the 53rd Anniversary celebration of the House of Umoja. Umoja celebrates in commUNITY with UMOJA IMPACT WEEK which continues on Thursday, September 2, 2021 from 3:00pm until 6:00pm with THE F.I.R.E.: A DAY OF INNOVATION for the entire family and ends on Saturday, September 4, 2021 with RAHK THE BLOCK commUNITY FESTIVAL & CONCERT from 12pm - 8pm. All events are at the House of Umoja on the 1400 Block of N. Frazier Street. For more information contact Queen Mother Falaka-Fattah or Anthony Bannister-Fattah at (215) 473-5893, falakafattah@aol.com, or visit www.houseofumoja.net.

The Million Fathers March and Umoja Impact Week is funded by the City of Philadelphia Activities Fund and the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) and carried out in collaboration with with Revolutionary Vision Community Resource Center, AHARI - A Home Is A Right, Inc., Women of Free Radio and others.