PRESS CONFERENCE 9/1/2009 AT 10:00AM SCHEDULED BY PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. DISCUSSING NATIONAL 2009 MILLION FATHER MARCH

P R E S S R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT:
Mr. David Fattah, Coordinator
National 2009 Million Father March for the City of Philadelphia
Co-Founder, House of Umoja, Inc.
Telephone: (215) 473-5893
Facsimile: (215) 879-5340
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com


SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA AND HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. TO HOLD TUESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2009 – 10:00 A.M. PRESS CONFERENCE ON PHILADEPHIA’S ROLE IN NATIONAL 2009 MILLION FATHER MARCH


PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 29 August 2009 – Officials from the School District of Philadelphia and Mr. David Fattah, Coordinator for the National 2009 Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia and Co-Founder of the House of Umoja, Inc. will hold a press conference on Tuesday, 1 September 2009 at 10:00 A.M. in the Washington Room (Room Number 1173) of the School District of Philadelphia Administration Building which is located at 440 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 8 September 2009, the first day of the 2009-2010 academic year, the city of Philadelphia will be one of an estimated 550 cities in the United States that will participate in the National 2009 National Million Father March which has been endorsed by United States Secretary of Education, The Honorable Arne Duncan.

The press conference which is open to the media and the general public will unveil plans for the National 2009 Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia which will occur on Tuesday, 8 September 2009. The City of Philadelphia’s role in the National 2009 Million Father March will be discussed by its coordinator, Mr. David Fattah, the Co-Founder of the House Of Umoja, Inc., an internationally acclaimed organization that has positively transformed the lives of over approximately 3,000 young urban males in the City of Philadelphia and successfully negotiated, in 1974, a peace pact with gangs in the nation’s fifth largest city which ended years of bloody and deadly gang violence.


What is the 2009 Million Father March all about?


“The School District of Philadelphia and the House of Umoja, Inc. are asking all Fathers throughout the City of Philadelphia to ‘step up’ and escort their children to school on Tuesday, 8 September 2009, the first day of the 2009-2010 academic year. We are also asking Fathers to encourage their children to excel academically, to ‘want more, be more, and do more,’ and to pick up a copy of their child’s roster along with a copy of the Academic Calendar Of Events from their child’s school. We would like Fathers to meet the principal and teachers of their child’s school and he House Of Umoja, Inc. is asking all Fathers to encourage their children to commit to nonviolence by signing the Imani Pledge,” explained Mr. Fattah.


Who should attend the press conference scheduled for Tuesday, 1 September 2009?


“We are inviting mothers, fathers, Fatherhood Practitioners, social ntrepreneurs, male parenting organizations, faith-based organizations, religious institutions, grassroots community organizations, businesses, social services professionals and providers, health care professionals and providers, educators, and concerned individuals to attend the press conference which will be held on Tuesday, 1 September 2009 at 10:00 A.M. at the School District of Philadelphia’s Administration Building at 440 North Broad Street . We are calling on them to become involved in the 2009 National Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia. The National 2009 Million Father March is about eveyone bringing their key pieces of the puzzle to the Table of Humanity to enable Fathers to ‘step up’ and move our children – our future – our bridge to the future -- to excel academically, commit to nonviolence, and embark on a path that will lead them to becoming productive and successful adults. And when it’s all said done, shouldn’t it really be about the children?” Mr. David Fattah, the Coordinator of the 2009 National Million Father March for the City of Philadelphia and Co-Founder of the House Of Umoja, Inc. explained.


For information about the National 2009 Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia, contact its Coordinator, Mr. David Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com. For information about the House Of Umoja, Inc., please visit the organization’s website at http://www.houseofumoja.org.



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