PROSTATE CANCER LECTURE ON 8 JUNE 2013 KICKS OFF PHILADELPHIA'S OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK

 

HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. * 5625 W. Master Street* Philadelphia, PA 19131 

 P R E S S R E L E A S E 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 CONTACT: 
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah
House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com www.houseofumoja.org

 PROSTATE CANCER LECTURE ON 8 JUNE 2013 KICKS OFF PHILADELPHIA'S OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK 

 PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 17 May 2013 – The American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) estimates that in 2013, 238,590 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and that approximately 29,720 men will succumb to the disease. Although prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, approximately 2.5 million American men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are still alive. Yet, African American men, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation (www.pcf.org) have the highest rate of prostate cancer incidence in the world. They are 56% more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men and nearly 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease.

 The House of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.org) is embarking on a mission to save the lives of men in the African American community through its kickoff of the City of Philadelphia’s observance of International Men’s Health Week (www.menshealthmonth.org/imhw/imhw.html). On Saturday, 8 June 2013 from 9:00 A.M. through 11:00 A.M. in partnership with AmeriHealth Mercy, Spectrum Health Services, and Triumph Baptist Church, Vine Memorial Baptist Church (www.vinememorial.org) and the House of Umoja, Inc. will host a “Prostate Cancer Lecture”. The lecture will be convened at Vine Memorial Baptist Church at 5600 Girard Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The keynote address for the lecture will be rendered by Michael Ponatari, M.D. Dr. Ponatari is the Vice Chairperson of the Department of Urology at Temple University's School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he is also a Professor of Urology and a surgeon. He will be joined by Deric Savior, M.D., the Director of Thoracic Oncology and Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Section of Oncology at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mr. Thomas Anderson, Jr., former Associate Vice President for Community Relations at Temple University’s Office of Community Relations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Randy A. Hutchins, P.A. who has worked as a Surgical Physician Assistant for Hahnemann Hospital's Renal Transplant Program, Mercy Hospital's Surgical Subspecialty Service and with the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Mercy Hospital and Family Planning service at Spectrum Health Center Philadelphia and has held adjunct teaching staff positions with Philadelphia University, and Hahnemann Medical University; and Timothy Richard Rebbeck, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 “The City of Philadelphia will be joining cities in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, England, the Netherlands and the United States in observing International Men's Week which begins on 10 June 2013 and ends on 16 June 2013. Men's Health has become a critical state of affairs worldwide. In the United States, women outlive men by between approximately five to six years. The incidence of prostate cancer, diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer's Disease continues to rise for Men. African American men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer at an alarming rate and their chances for survival are much less than those of men of other ethnic groups. The 'Prostate Cancer Lecture' on Saturday, 8 June 2013 will educate men and their family and loved one about this devastating disease and provide them with medical options,” remarked Queen Mother Falaka Fattah.

 The House of Umoja, Inc. will continue the City of Philadelphia’s observation of International Men’s Health Week with the hosting of a Men’s Health Fair entitled, “Give Dad The Gift Of Life,” on Saturday, 15 June 2013 from 10:00 A.M. through 3:00 P.M. at 1400 North Frazier Street and 5600 West Master Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event will provide free screenings with a rain date scheduled for Sunday, 16 June 2013.

For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc.’s kick off of the observance of International Men’s Health Week in the City of Philadelphia, contact Queen Mother Falaka Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com.

MOTHER'S DAY

For the past 14 years, I have written and talked about the importance of Men and Fathers in our families, our communities, and our world. On numerous occasions, I have pointed out that Men are the glue that holds our families, our communities, and our world together. In the days leading up to Mother's Day, I have been thinking a lot about Women who, as Mothers, play an equally critical role in holding our families, our communities, and our world together. A Father's influence in his children's lives is long lasting. His influence governs the decisions they make about careers and in selecting a husband or wife when they reach adulthood. Fathers provide their children with powerful life lessons about successfully negotiating the world that exists outside of their immediate environment. And contrary to popular belief, Fathers are nurturers.  

A Mother's influence in the lives of her children is powerful and long lasting, too. Today, I am thinking about the powerful influence my Mother continues to have in my life. Some say that I am a good writer. Well, if that is true, the credit goes to my Mother! She taught me how to write. In my first or second year of elementary school, one of my first homework assignments consisted of writing a series of sentences using certain words. I clearly remember completing the assignment after which I presented it to my mother for her review. And she was not happy. She told me: "Never start every sentence with the same word. Make your sentences interesting. Put some variety in your writing! Young lady, march yourself upstairs to your room and write every sentence over again. You are not handing in homework like that to your teacher tomorrow!" So, I returned to my room and began slowly rewriting the sentences. Now, that was a very valuable lesson! It forced me to think about the message that I wanted to convey in my writing. If nothing else, she forced me to think! Many years later, I find myself poring over my writing and making sure that each sentence begins with a different word. I try to make sure that my sentences are, as my Mother would say, "interesting".  But that's not all that I learned from my Mother. She introduced me to classical music, crossword puzzles, astrology, and taught me how to curtsey (a formal and traditional gesture of greeting for a girl and woman which involves slightly bending both knees and bowing one's head simultaneously). And more importantly, she taught me to be an independent thinker. How did she do that? By simply telling me on more than one occasion, "Learn how to think for yourself! Don't follow the crowd!" 

To the Mothers of the World:  "Happy Mother's Day!"

HEALTHY SONS AND HUSBANDS: THE ULTIMATE MOTHER'S GIFT

CONTACT: Queen Mother Falaka Fattah
House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com

PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 1 May 2013 – Millions of women throughout the United States will be showered with gifts on Mother’s Day – Sunday, 12 May 2013. But what do Mothers really want? For African American mothers, having healthy sons and husbands are the ultimate Mother’s Day gift. Too many women in the African American community find themselves burying their sons and husbands whose lives have been shortened by strokes, diabetes, and cancer. Every four hours in the City of Philadelphia, someone dies from a heart attack or stroke. African Americans have a forty percent (40%) greater prevalence of hypertension compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. A higher prevalence among African Americans also exists for diabetes and cancer – particularly prostate cancer and the highest overall coronary disease mortality rates and the highest out-of-hospital coronary death rates. 

 The House of Umoja, Inc. is embarking on a mission to save the lives of men in the African American community through its kickoff of the City of Philadelphia’s observance of International Men’s Health Week. International Men’s Health Week, which was launched in 2002 in Vienna, Austria is observed throughout the United States and in a number of countries which include Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, The Netherlands, Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. On Saturday, 8 June 2013 from 9:00 A.M. through 11:00 A.M. in partnership with AmeriHealth Mercy, Spectrum Health Services, and Triumph Baptist Church, Vine Memorial Baptist Church and the House of Umoja, Inc. will host a “Prostate Cancer Lecture”. On Saturday, 15 June 2013 from 10:00 A.M. through 3:00 P.M., the House of Umoja, Inc. will host “Give Dad The Gift Of Life” at 1400 North Frazier Street and 5600 West Master Streets in Philadelphia. The event will provide free screenings with a rain date scheduled for Sunday, 16 June 2013.

“The House of Umoja, Inc.’s ‘kick off’ of the observance of International Men’s Health Week in the City of Philadelphia and the events we have planned are in alignment with the multi-tiered components of our ‘Think Green Peace Campaign’ which was launched in 2008 and our goals to move the African American community to eat healthier through the creation and maintenance of urban gardens which yield over 30 varieties of produce and has fed over 40 families; decrease violence and the current dropout rate, and develop a kinship in our community which will spread throughout the City of Philadelphia,” explained Queen Mother Falaka Fattah. 

For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc.’s kick off of the observance of International Men’s Day in the City of Philadelphia, contact Queen Mother Falaka Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com. 

RECONNECTING THE DISCONNECTED

Children born between 1950 and 1970 could very well be the last generation of children raised by the village as we have to come know it. What did it mean to be a child raised by the village? Every adult in your community had rising expectations for you. They reinforced – in no uncertain terms -- the value system, life lessons, and social skills taught to you by your family. Parents, educators, school administrators, religious institutions, community leaders, non-profit organizations, and concerned adults worked as a team to ensure that the children of the village excelled academically and matured into productive and successful adults. If you were a child raised by the village, you were “every one’s child”. There was an implicit agreement among the Fathers and Mothers in the village that all adults had the right to admonish you when you were misbehaving and protect you from harm. A child being raised by the village felt connected, loved, and protected. In the Millennium, the village is a much different place. A number of children growing up in today’s village do not necessarily feel connected to anyone or anything. If anything, they feel “disconnected”. Why? The village does not seem to be protecting its children – its heart and soul. There are approximately 200 million children in our global village today. According to the International Labor Organization (www.ilo.org) in Geneva, Switzerland, it is estimated that children as young as ten years old – approximately 10 million children – work as domestic laborers outside of their family home. Approximately 10% of child laborers in Haiti are under the age of 10, while 70% of children employed in Morocco by other households are under age 12. What if you were 10 or 12 years and had to spend your days working instead of going to school? Would you feel nurtured, protected, and loved as you made your journey from childhood to adulthood? Would you have a positive self-image? What real life options would be available to you? Would you mature into a purpose driven, successful, and productive adult? Clearly, child labor is not a phenomenon of the Millennium. And clearly, 10 million children having to work to support their families is a symptom of a much deeper problem – poverty. If they are working, then they are probably not attending school. And the adults in the village are not necessarily talking to them about rising expectations. Poorly educated and uneducated children mature into adults who have limited or no marketable skills. As a result, they are unable to adequately provide for themselves and their families. The cycle of poverty is perpetuated. We cannot afford to have approximately 10 million children – the village’s heart and soul – and bridge to the future -- mature into adults who are uneducated, unemployable, and emotionally and psychologically “disconnected”. “Disconnectedness” breeds chaos, crime, and hopelessness. It is extremely difficult to be compassionate, maintain a positive sense of self-worth, and empower and strengthen the village in which you live and work when you are emotionally and psychologically “disconnected”. Eradicating the causes of poverty is a critical piece of the puzzle to “reconnecting the disconnected”, sustaining nurturing and efficiently functioning family units, and restoring order in our global village. According to the International Centre for Prison Studies which is located in London in the United Kingdom, at least 10.1 million people throughout our global village are incarcerated. Many of the incarcerated individuals are parents – parents who are disconnected physically and emotionally from their families and communities. In the United States, approximately 2,239,751 individuals are incarcerated; 1,640,000 individuals are incarcerated in China; Russia estimates that 701,900 individuals are incarcerated; approximately 83,999 individuals are incarcerated in the United Kingdom; 113,018 in Vietnam; 217,000 in Iran; and France estimates that 67,255 individuals are imprisoned. The United States has the highest prison population in our global village. And it is estimated that approximately 700,000 incarcerated individuals are released annually in the United States. It is also estimated that at least 1.7 million children in the United States has an incarcerated parent. Key stakeholders throughout our global village are beginning to acknowledge and examine the far reaching psychological and emotional effects of imprisonment upon the incarcerated and their families and loved ones. In the United States, religious leaders, social entrepreneurs, Thought Leaders, Fatherhood Practitioners, educators, law enforcement professionals, formerly incarcerated individuals, and concerned community members are discussing, among other things, how best to reintegrate into society the 700,000 incarcerated individuals who are released annually from prison. This dialogue is creating support for the development and implementation of parenting programs specifically tailored for Incarcerated Fathers who have been or are about to be released from prison. Key stakeholders are also discussing the development and implementation of a two-tiered intense and mandatory “healing” and “humanization” program which helps formerly incarcerated individuals “reconnect” emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically while simultaneously providing family members and loved ones of formerly incarcerated individuals with emotional and psychological tools to help them heal, trust again, love again, and create a future for themselves. \ Yes, the village of the Millennium is a much different place. It has become a place where many think of themselves as self-contained units. The truth of the matter is that we are connected to everyone and everything in the Universe. We are connected to the homeless, the physically disabled and mentally challenged, to the elderly, to children, to the incarcerated, to the fatherless, to the weak, to the strong, to the rich, to the poor, to the just and the unjust. Destiny, love, fate, hope, our dreams, our thoughts, and our frailties are the components of an invisible thread that connects the 7.1 billion people who live and work in the global village we know as Planet Earth. Our inability or failure to see our “connectedness” is plunging our village into chaos and imbalance. If we want the environment in our village to be nurturing, safe, and vibrant than we must go about the business of “reconnecting the disconnected”. When it’s all said and done, “reconnecting the disconnected” is an investment in the future. -->

TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY: CARRY GREAVES

Do you believe that if you were to look inwardly, you can discover the power to construct an improved position in life for yourself? Well, it may surprise you, but the answer is “Yes”. So many of us believe that in order to have a healthy, successful position in life, we need to have some kind of approval by someone else. And this is far from the truth. 

The first thing we must do in order for us to grow into that space that is healthy and progressive, is to restructure the way we view ourselves. When we view ourselves in a negative light, we will more than likely see things and people in a negative way, When we are able to identify through self-awareness the attitudes that we hold that can thrust us forward or hold us back, we are on the right track to create that space in our lives that will be fruitful as well as healthy, We have to take charge of our lives as opposed to allowing others to dictate or control us in a way that will be detrimental to our all around growth and development. Therefore, we must neither be discouraged nor afraid to take the time to look within ourselves to remove the impediments that is causing so many of us to regard ourselves as less than great, beautiful, intelligent, and creative. But the process of searching out for those impediments may take some time to do, and this alone may require a lot of patience and commitment. 

The fact is, we have to be honest with ourselves about the issues that are troubling us and keeping us from becoming the person that we want to become. Additionally, we can’t continue to blame anyone for what we’ve become and if we refuse to accept the assistance that is available to us, then we have to bear the responsibility for what we’ve created in our lives. When we hear of a tragedy or are faced with a crisis, we have to find that quiet space to reflect and make a decision as to what direction we want to take. If we allow such a crisis to take control over our lives, we will not be able to function properly on a day to day basis. This is why it’s important that we wholeheartedly believe in ourselves and create that necessary space in our lives that will be conductive to promoting wellness.

The vast majority of us waste a lot of precious time on matters that are insignificant to our growth. Our focus should be on developing a better relationship with ourselves. When self-determined people are moved to make a change and not waste time blaming others for the condition the world is in, they will have a better opportunity at developing ideas that can be put into manifestation to neutralize any crisis. And this is because that self-determined person had a clear aim and purpose about what they wanted to accomplish. So as we grow into that positive space in our lives, and gain more awareness and knowledge, we will begin to think and do things differently. When we attain more awareness, it will enable us to ascend above the issues and crisis and then we will be able to take full control of our lives. Our future. 

No matter how negative or positive the situation is, it should always be a learning experience. But we also have to bear in mind that we are not a product of our environment, but of the choices that we make. So no matter what comes our way, we should always remain steadfast in our discipline, patience, and commitment to being triumphant over any adversity.

____

Mr. Carry Greaves is the Empowerment Coordinator for 2013 International Men's Day; a published free-lance journalist; poet; and a Senior Contributing Editor to IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD(R), an international quarterly Fatherhood and Men's Issues journal published in the United States and distributed on a subscriber basis in the United States, Europe, and Africa.

THOUGHT LEADER, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIST AND MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL MR. JIM SMITH ENERGIZES NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON EDUCATION

 LARGO, MD (USA) – 6 April 2013 -- While many parents, educators, school administrators, and businesses, are alarmed about the glaring flaws in the American education system, Jim Smith, is energizing the national conversation on education and transforming America’s schools.

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s (“OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (“PISA”), headquartered in Paris, issues a report every three years assessing the reading, mathematics, and science skills of the world’s 15 year olds in 70 countries. The PISA Report indicated that, in 2009, the United States had an overall ranking of 14th out of 34 OECD countries for reading skills, 17th for science skills, and a below-average 25th ranking for mathematics.  The 2012 PISA Report will provide a ranking for the United States will be released in December 2013.

 Reports like this one are why Jim Smith, after graduating from the Wharton School of Business in 2007, has devoted his life and his business acumen to designing and implementing innovative programs geared to help American children mature into highly skilled, productive adults in the 21st century global workplace. His recipe for success is utilizing high-technology in the educational process, while creating strategic alliances with key stakeholders in the business and tech business sector, who have a vested interest in an educated and highly-trained workforce.

So, who is Jim Smith? A Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Mr. Smith is Managing Partner at Digital Network Group -- an Information Technology and Management Consulting firm – and President of Kinetic Potential, Inc., a mentoring and life development organization (www.kpscholars.com). Mr. Smith holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business where finance and entrepreneurship were his areas of concentration. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics from Occidental College and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts. During his career, Smith has helped numerous corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in the areas of strategic planning, outsourcing, global product development, system integration and program turnarounds, including AT&T, Verizon, GEICO, Bank of America, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the United States Social Security Administration, and the Republic of Liberia. Viewed by many as a game changer, Smith sees the work that he does transforming the American educational system as an investment in the future.

When reached for comment, Mr. Smith offered the following:

“Today’s youth face a growing number of social crises that make navigating adolescence difficult and impede the path to success. Over 1.23 million high school students failed to graduate on time, while more than 32 million young people under 18 were under juvenile court jurisdiction. These statistics are startling, and illustrate the measurable effects of failed education policies, unstable home units, and increased crime. And there are economic consequences behind these statistics. Juvenile crime, teenage pregnancies, and high school dropouts cost taxpayers billions of dollars a year and weaken the American labor pool. So, what’s the answer? Structured, after-school and youth development programs traditionally provide after school services, enriching the 2000 hours children spend outside of the classroom and decreasing the chance a child will engage in negative behavior. However, the Kinetic Potential (KP) Scholars Program takes these solutions a step further by integrating traditional youth development programs into a dynamic network of service providers that support not just youth development but life development of individuals from childhood through adulthood. This type of educational intervention is integral to the country’s economic future. A reality recognized by our partners in the global corporate community who we’ve partnered with to create the next generation of great minds.”

The Kinetic Potential (KP) Scholars Program is positively transforming educational systems, helping to create real-life career options for children and young adolescents, empowering educators, school administrators, parents, and stabilizing communities. For further information about the empowering work of Mr. Jim Smith and, visit http://www.kpscholars.com or send an e-mail to: ses@kpscholars.com or call 301-883-8256.

INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY HEALING AND REPATRIATION PROJECT

Inaugurated in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago by Jerome Teelucksingh, Ph.D., a Thought Leader on Gender Issues and a faculty member in the History Department of the University of West Indies, International Men’s Day is observed in over 70 nations on 19 November of each year. Since 2008, the United States has observed International Men’s Day. In 2012, for the first time, International Men’s Day was observed in a correctional facility when an individual residing in the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York accepted an invitation to assume a leadership role for 2012 International Men’s Day as its Empowerment Coordinator. The individual in question donned the mantle of Empowerment Coordinator for 2012 International Men’s Day and coordinated an event in alignment with that year’s theme, “Helping Men and Boys Live Longer, Happier, Healthier Lives”. 2013 International Men’s Day will be observed at the Clinton Correctional Facility under the theme, “Keeping Men And Boys Safe” and under the leadership of its International Men’s Day Empowerment Coordinator. 

The success of the inaugural observance of International Men’s Day at the Clinton Correctional Facility has spawned the creation of the “International Men’s Day Healing and Repatriation Project”. This project promotes the observance of International Men’s Day in correctional facilities throughout the United States. The observances can take the form of workshops and discussions about issues that are in alignment with the theme of International Men’s Day. Engaging incarcerated individuals – intellectually and psychologically – in an event which is observed worldwide – an event which provides them with an opportunity to engage in critical thinking about issues that affect them, their families and loved ones, and the communities in which they lived and will return to, will help them see themselves as “part of a whole”. Providing incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to share ideas, create solutions, engage in critical thinking, and see themselves as a “part of a whole” is a first step toward helping them successfully reintegrate into society upon their release. 

For further information about the International Men’s Day Healing and Repatriation Project, contact the United States Coordinator for International Men’s Day at: insearchoffatherhood@gmail.com.