PRESS RSVP IN-PERSON https://www.houseofumoja.net/mediainquiries.html​ 
PRESS REGISTER FOR ZOOM https://bit.ly/HOUCGCFPressConf​
CLICK TO DONWLOAD PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT:
Baba Hakim Tendaji
Coordinator, Philadelphia Collard Green Cultural Festival
House Of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893; text 267.428.6321
E-Mail:  [email protected]
https://houseofumoja.net/collardgreenfest

Your food is supposed to be your medicine and your medicine is supposed to be your food. ~African Proverb --
PRESS CONFERENCE
DATE: WEDNESDAY 31 MAY 2023
TIME: 10:00AM EST
LOCATION: PEACE GARDEN at 5625 Master St (David Fattah Way)
Philadelphia, PA 19131-3248
In Attendance / Agenda:
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President & CEO, House of Umoja
Baba Hakim Tendaji - Coordinator, Philadelphia Collard Green Cultural Fest
Jacqueline Taylor-Adams - Festival Marketing Committee - Festival Details
Hezekiah - Recording Artist/Producer - Workshop Presenter: HEZEKIAH COLORS, Vol. Green
Black Farmers Representative
BURY YOUR BEEFS CEREMONY - record a beef you may have on a biodegradable napkin and beefs will be buried in the Peace Garden.
Q&A
Principles Available for Interview
Press Kits Available Upon Request

​ PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA)  --  30 Tuesday 2023 -- As it celebrates its 55th anniversary, the House Of Umoja, Inc. (https://www.houseofumoja.net), which has brokered peace and invested in the future of children and youths in the City of Philadelphia for five (5) decades, by providing life lines for approximately at least 3,000 adolescent males and positively transforming the trajectory of their lives, continues to cultivate peace and hope in the sixth largest metropolitan area in the United States.  On Wednesday, 31 May 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at 5625 Master Street (David Fattah Way), the House of Umoja, Inc. will convene a press conference to unveil plans for the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival scheduled for 1 September 2023 through 2 September 2023.  The Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival (https://www.house ofumoja.net/collardgreenfest,html), which is a component of a series of events planned to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the House Of Umoja, Inc., was founded in 1998 in East Palo Alto, California by Dr. Mama Nobantu Ankoanda, an educator, former principal and founder of African-centered community based institutions. The festival was created as a means of raising funds for the Shule Mandela Academy.  It was exported to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the House Of Umoja, Inc. by Baba Hakim Tendaji, a House of Umoja and Philadelphia native who served on the original Collard Greens Festival Committee in East Palo Alto, California. (https://www.collardgreensculturalfestival.com/about).
 
              “When I moved from California back to Philadelphia and reengaged with the House of Umoja, I felt that the House of Umoja would be a great home for and steward of the Collard Greens Cultural Festival for the City of Philadelphia.  Building on Umoja’s strong culture-based community, focusing on accessible holistic health and wellness, and impacting youth and young adult street culture with more positive alternatives that serve their interests and needs are among the things I want to accomplish with the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival.  Our children and younger adults must be presented with an alternative to the culture of street life and the tools to develop better ways of healing.  I am reminded of an African proverb which counsels us that food is our medicine and our medicine is food.  Through the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival, our community will learn that what we eat and what we put into our bodies impacts our physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being.  A balanced and healthy diet which includes vegetables -- collard greens, as an example -- is a component of accessible holistic health and wellness.  Collard greens is cultural staple for African Americans and serves as one of the many healthy foods that should be our medicine.  From a cultural perspective, collard greens or Sukuma, which is the Swahili word for collard greens, is prominently served at meals that include fish or meat  or the main ingredient in stews in many African nations -- the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Benin; Nigeria; Tanzania; and Kenya,” explained Baba Tendaji who serves as the Coordinator of the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival under the umbrella of the House Of Umoja, Inc.
 
          “For fifty-four years, the House Of Umoja, Inc. has cultivated hope and peace throughout the City of Philadelphia.  Through the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival, the House Of Umoja continues to work to cultivate hope and peace in the nation’s sixth largest metropolitan region.  Poverty, poor nutrition, lack of cultural identity, dysfunctional family units, and a lack of hope are some of the underlying causative factors of the current gun violence emergency that plays out on the streets and in public transportation facilities in our great city. A recent report issued by the American Medical Association which was recently brought to my attention pointed out overt racism is the source of early deaths for African Americans.  It is not difficult to see how this occurs.  African Americans are more likely to live in environmentally toxic communities as they reside in older homes with old pipes through which water flows that taints their water supply while African American children attend classes in old buildings which have asbestos and old pipes that provide a tainted water supply.  Most African Americans live in food deserts -- residential areas in which major food stores that could provide them with access to healthy foods -- fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, etc.  are not accessible.  Then there is the issue of health disparities that encompass lack of access to expedient and high quality medical care and preventative health protocols for African Americans and the failure of health and medical professionals to administer to African American patients the proper medical protocols mandated by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address life-threatening medical conditions and diseases  It is not difficult to understand why there is such a pervasive lack of hope in the African American community.    The foods, cultural events, and workshops presented by the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival will help address many of the causes of the pervasive lack of hope in the African American community. If there is no hope, there will be no peace.  The mission of the Philadelphia Collard Greens Cultural Festival and the House Of Umoja, Inc. is to cultivate hope and peace and move communities and our city to cultivate hope and embrace peace,” remarked Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the House Of Umoja, Inc.
 
          Established in 1968, the House of Umoja, Inc. (https://www.houseofumoja.net)  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 United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)  were among the institutions that sought the House of Umoja, Inc.’s expertise on gang violence reduction, youth programming, and community development.   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.

          To RSVP call (215) 473-5893 or email [email protected]. Press may register to attend Zoom live stream at https://bit.ly/HOUCGCFPressConf.
 
Community members may register for more information about participating in the festival at https://www.houseofumoja.net/collardgreenfest,html. Alternatively, you may contact the House Of Umoja, Inc. (https://www.houseoumoja.net) by calling (215) 473-5893 or by sending an electronic mail communication to:  [email protected].

...MOVES NEW GENERATION OF CHILDREN TO EMBRACE PEACE

“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE AND AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER THE LATE DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

         PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA)  -- 12 JANUARY 2023  --As institutions, organizations, and individuals throughout the United States observe a national holiday on 16 January 2023 commemorating the birthday of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and American Civil Rights Leader the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., known  as the “Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Of Service”,  in the City of Philadelphia --the nation’s sixth largest metropolitan area -- youths enrolled in the House of Umoja, Inc. ‘s (www.houseofumoja.net) UMOJA Youth Peace Corps will embark on their first field trip.   Cognizant of the fact that there is an “inescapable network of mutuality” between the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual well-being of Our Children and sustaining an environment of peaceful coexistence within our communities, the House Of Umoja, Inc., an internationally acclaimed institution, is ushering in the New Year with the  Umoja Youth Peace Corps Value of Human Life Afterschool Program. An orientation session was held for the Umoja Youth Peace Corps Value of Human Life Afterschool Program.

“To give is to invest in the future.” -Chewa Proverb
 
            PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) - 29 November 2022 -  For fifty-four (54) years, the House Of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.net), an internationally acclaimed institution headquartered in Philadelphia, has brokered peace in the nation’s sixth largest metropolitan and invested in the future by creating lifelines for at least approximately 3,000 adolescent males and positively transforming the trajectory of their lives.  In effort to develop an effective blueprint to turn around Philadelphia’s out of control gun violence, on Wednesday 30 November 2022 from 6:30 P.M. (E.D.T.) through 8:30 P.M (https://tockify. com/houevents/detail/10/1669851000000) The House of Umoja, Inc.’s “gift of giving” -- brokering peace and investing in the future -- which spans fifty-four (54) years will be collaboratively feted through the community conversation hosted by WHYY (https://www.WHYY.org/events), BROKERING PEACE: The House of Umoja & A Safer Philadelphia, the African American Museum of Philadelphia’s (https://www. aampmuseum.org) newest exhibit, Love & Spirit: African American Art from the Bank of America Collection; and Love Now Media’s (https://lovenowmedia.com/)  preview of the documentary entitled, “Falaka Fattah And The House Of Umoja” produced by Mr. Jos Duncan Asè. The event will be held at the African American Museum of Philadelphia at 701 Arch Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tickets and further information concerning this historic event can be obtained at https://bit.ly/GetTix4Broking Peace; https://tockify.com/houevents/detail/10/1669851000000.

         Featured panelists representing the over 3,000 young men who have come through the House of Umoja will be The Honorable Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr., 15 year old Hameen Jackson, Anthony "Hakim" Starkey, and Jamal Johnson. Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President & CEO of the House of Umoja will join the conversation via Zoom.

            The event will be punctuated by the announcement of the Best Article prize respectively to two (2) young women  -- Mesdames Brielle Bartley and  Jaelyn Mack, each of whom participated in the House of Umoja, Inc.’s inaugural UMOJA Youth Peace Corps and penned instructive and profound essays that were published in UMOJA Magazine’s “Her Story” Youth Edition. Fourteen-year-old Ms. Jaelyn Mack through her essay, “How To Step Forward for the Next Generation” moves readers to look at the world through the lens of accessibility, inclusiveness, possibilities while Ms. Brielle Bartley serves up heart wrenching story and a powerful recipe for creating a nurturing and more tranquil world in, “A Safer World For Kids.” Copies of the magazine may be ordered at https://www.houseofumoja.net/umojamagazine.html. 

     Through the UMOJA Youth Peace Corps and the Fattah Peace Academy (www.houseofumoja.net), the House of Umoja, Inc. continues to  broker peace and invest in the future by moving a new generation of youths to embrace peace through a commitment to nonviolence and providing them with many of the tools they will need to mature into productive and successful adults.  The House of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.net) launched the UMOJA Youth Peace Corps, a component of the Fattah Peace Academy and the UMOJA INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY on Tuesday, 5 April 2022.  The UMOJA Youth Peace Corps is an influencer leadership initiative centered around peace, the family of community, culture, and healing.  An after school program, the UMOJA Youth Peace Corps nurtures youths, ages 14 through 18, by providing them with a well-rounded array of training ranging from communications, mental and physical wellness, Blockchain Basics entrepreneurship, dog training, and art therapy.  Each day begins with a meal and Adella with Queen Mother Falaka Fattah. Adella is a Swahili word that means “just” or “fair” and is formed around the value of the extended family, creating a safe space, and a tool for conflict resolution. Adella became the order within a home of fifteen (15) boys when Queen Mother in 1969 invited the gang members of her son's gang to live in her home. Adella is a proven model that has worked in West African societies from ancient times and throughout the House of Umoja, Inc.’s existence as a residential home, safe haven, and peacemaker in the streets.
         “Imagine an urban inner-city campus where youth ranging in ages from twelve to twenty-five become the moral equivalent to antibodies.  Imagine youths who are trained as Peace Ambassadors to help end violence in their communities while realizing their own potential within an environment that is culturally rich and educationally relevant. Imagine these youths having this experience on a campus that is a replica of one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the ancient African city of Djennè. Imagine a place where students may also learn Aquaponics, Aviation, Web 3 Technologies, and Coding. Securing the future of the community requires an educated, motivated, and non-violent workforce. To do so the work must begin with our youth while providing opportunities for community participation. As a continuation of our ‘gift of giving’ -- brokering peace and investing in the future -- the House of Umoja is committed to making the Fattah Peace Academy a reality within the next two years -- 2023 through 2025. This integrated development effort will provide young people with educational services to prepare them for the future. Importantly, it will provide training that will provide attendees with the skills to create businesses and builds on Umoja’s service strengths.  The components of our service strengths include programming that trains students to grow vegetables and fish using hydroponic technology. Students will learn to code so that they can develop apps and other technological programs for use in today’s and tomorrow’s information technology driven world. In addition, students will be provided with cultural enrichment, entrepreneurial skills, and preparation for employment services -- all of which will help to provide the community with resources for the prevention of violence.   This is a long-term project that seeks to fully develop the 1400 block of Frazier Street. The House of Umoja currently owns 18 properties on the block, with facade stylized to represent the ancient city of Djennè.  We envision a completely redeveloped campus that will include classrooms and meeting spaces to facilitate the implementation of educational and employment activities. The campus will offer rooftop farming, a green house, a pond, and farming lots.   As a result, the health of the community will be positively impacted due to an increase in the availability of fresh vegetables.  A critical component in the academy’s educational and entrepreneurial efforts is the aquaponics program which will simultaneously provide training and an ongoing stream of income,” explained Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the House Of Umoja, Inc.

          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.

          For further information about the UMOJA Intentional Community, the UMOJA Youth Peace Corps, the Fattah Peace Academy, and the House of Umoja, Inc., visit the organization’s website at www.houseofumoja.net or call (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to:  [email protected]. To donate 

PRESS ADVISORY CRAFTED BY DIANE AISHA SEARS

The Youth Edition of UMOJA Magazine published and recently released by the House Of Umoja, Inc., is a strong indication that at 54, the party is just getting started for the international institution which has successful track record that spans five (5) decades in addressing and reducing violence and positively transforming the trajectory of the lives of over 3,000 adolescent males.

UMOJA Magazine’s Youth Edition seamlessly moves us from the past, to the present, and to the future. The journey begins with historical grounding courtesy of “Her Story: The Rebirth Of Women As Participants In Civilization,” penned by City of Philadelphia’s first Poet Laureate, prolific author, educator, scholar, activist, Poetry Society 2001 Robert Frost Medalist, and recipient of the 2022 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writer Award PROFESSOR SONIA SANCHEZ. MS. CHANDLER FATTAH crafts an unflinchingly fiery narrative that predicts the birth of a movement that genuinely recognizes centuries of pain and trauma endured by Women of African descent in the United States through “Final Words.” We are moved to think about accessibility, inclusiveness, possibilities and hope by MS. JAELYN MACK in “How To Step Forward For The Next Generation.” Through “Medieval African,” MS. MIKAYLAH BANNISTER introduces us to Askia Muhammad I, also known as Muhammed Ture, the first ruler of the Askia Dynasty of the Songhai Empire. In “A Safer World For Kids,” MS. BRIELLE BARTLEY graphically explains how a daily diet of trauma and tumult impacts children and serves up a powerful recipe for creating a nurturing and tranquil world. Are Our Children in dire need of intentional care from the adults in their world? Is providing the young souls in our communities with “listening sessions” to talk about their experiences and offer solutions for moving their communities toward peace? MS. RAS STANFORD weighs in with an instructive essay, “Intergenerational Partnerships Are Critical To Curb Youth Violence.” For Women of African descent who wonder if embracing both Feminism and Pan Africanism creates a “conflict of interest” scenario for them, MS. FAJR DUDLEY’S thought-provoking treatise, “Pan-African Perspective Of The New Age Black Woman And Modern Day Feminism” will resolve their dilemma.

The masterfully crafted Youth Edition of UMOJA Magazine offers an extremely helpful “College Preparation Checklist for High School” for the families of college bound children. Award-winning journalist, internationally recognized humanitarian, and President of House Of Umoja, Inc., QUEEN MOTHER FALAKA FATTAH concludes our seamless movement from the past, to the present, and the future by moving us to remember the souls have directly and indirectly “touched us in ways that change us forever” in a tribute she has penned, “They Are Gone But Not Forgotten.”

To learn how you can obtain a copy of the Youth Edition of UMOJA Magazine, a keepsake journal, please visit the House Of Umoja, Inc.’s website at: www.houseofumoja.net/umojamagazine. 
Format: Digital
ISSN 2836-1377
Format: Print
ISSN 2836-1350
For further information about the House Of Umoja, Inc., call (215) 473-5893 or send an electronic mail communication to: [email protected]. Information can also be obtained about the internationally acclaimed institution y visiting its website at www.houseofumoja.net.

by Rosamelia SanchezSince 1969, the House of Umoja has been working to protect at-risk youth in West Philadelphia and other areas. After learning that her son was part of a gang, Queen Mother Falakah Fattah and her husband David Fattah took the responsibility of housing young gang members in their homes. Eventually, the House of Umoja became a sanctuary for gang members, and their housing program began.
“Between 1969 and 2010, over 3,000 boys lived on this block..."

The organization decided to celebrate its 54th anniversary on the 1400 block of N. Frazier St, the same block where they have always been located. “We decided we wanted to celebrate with the community where we have been doing the work for 54 years,” said Queen Mother... READ COMPLETE ARTICLE HERE http://bit.ly/3Dpd0Jg.