HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC.
5625
W. Master Street
Philadelphia,
PA 19131
(215)
473-5893
Facsimile: (215) 879-5340
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com
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
HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. LAUNCHES
CITY-WIDE PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE IN RESPONSE TO RISING HOMICIDE RATES WITH FRIDAY,
17 JUNE 2016 – 9:00 A.M. PRESS CONFERENCE
PHILADELPHIA,
PA (USA) – 13 June 2016 -- History, when
left unheeded, repeats itself. Forty
eight years ago, in 1968, the streets and school yards of the City of
Philadelphia were awash in bloody and deadly violence precipitated by gang “turf
wars”. The out of control gang violence
became the catalyst for the founding of the House of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.org) which took on the mission of
bringing peace to the city – a mission that culminated with an overwhelming
majority of gangs permanently laying down their weapons and signing the Imani
Peace Pact, crafted by Mr. David Fattah.
In 2016, forty eight years later, a rising homicide rate together with
violent clashes playing out in the streets of the City of Philadelphia – the
nation’s fifth largest metropolitan area – has become the catalyst for the
House of Umoja, Inc.’s launch of a city-wide public safety initiative – the “Imani Peace Campaign” which will be
unveiled at a press conference scheduled for Friday, 17 June 2016 beginning at
9:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) and concluding at 11:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) in Room 400, the City
Council Caucus Room, in City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“It is not by accident that the
launch of the House of Umoja, Inc.’s city-wide Public Safety Initiative is
occurring at the beginning of Father’s Day weekend. There are far too many Fathers in our city
who have buried their children – the “heart and soul” of the village -- due to
senseless violence. And there are far
too many children who are growing up Fatherless because their Father’s life was
cut short by a hail of bullets. Thus
far, in 2016, there have been at least 111 homicides. Forty-two years ago, a generation of young
men chose peace over violence, signed the Imani Peace Pact, promised not to
engage in any acts of violence, and demonstrated to the City of Philadelphia
and the world that their word is their bond.
These same generation of young men are now Fathers, Grandfathers and
even Great Grandfathers who have not
engaged in violence for forty-two years. We are asking a new generation of young men
and young women to honor their Fathers, Grandfathers and Great Grandfathers by
signing the Imani Pledge and abstaining from violence. Transforming the current violent and
psychologically traumatizing environment of our great city is a shared
responsibility. We are asking concerned
citizens, clergy of all faiths and denominations, legislators, educators,
school administrators, community activists, Fatherhood advocates and
practitioners, Restorative Justice and Reintegration Thought Leaders, health
care professionals and providers, and social services professionals and
providers to join us on Friday, 17 June 2016 at the press conference. We all have ‘pieces of the puzzle’ to moving
our children – the village’s ‘heart and soul’, and its ‘Next Generation of
Leaders, Husbands, Fathers, Wives, and Mothers’ -- to commit to nonviolence,” remarked Queen Mother Falaka Fattah,
the Co-Coordinator for the Imani Peace Campaign and Founder of the House of
Umoja, Inc.
For further information regarding
the press conference scheduled for Friday, 17 June 2016 at 9:00 A.M. (E.D.T.)
and the House of Umoja, Inc.’s Public Safety Initiative – the “Imani Peace Campaign”, contact the
House of Umoja, Inc. by calling (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com.
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