PERPETUATING A LEGACYOF NONVIOLENCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE: THE HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC.'S "PEACE ON EARTH" DAY

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


PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 3 April 2012 -- Forty-four years ago – on Thursday, 4 April 1968 – in Memphis, Tennessee, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of visionary, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and leader of the African American Civil Rights Movement Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who described himself in his last sermon given on 4 February 1968 at Ebenezer Baptist Church as a “drum major for justice who tried to feed the hungry . . . clothe the naked . . . and love and serve humanity.” In that same year, six months later – September 1968 -- in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the
House of Umoja, Inc. was born. For the past forty-four years, the House of Umoja, Inc. has perpetuated Dr. King’s legacy of nonviolence and social justice. The internationally acclaimed organization has “loved and served humanity” by, among other things, positively shaping the minds and souls of over 3,000 adolescent young males between the ages of 15 through 18 in the City of Philadelphia. In 1974, the House of Umoja, Inc. brought to an end, years of rampant and deadly gang warfare by successfully negotiating a peace pact – the Imani Peace Pact™ -- with gangs throughout the nation’s fifth largest metropolitan area.

The rising and senseless acts of violence that have claimed at least 88 lives during the first three months of 2012 in the City of Philadelphia, has moved the House of Umoja, Inc. to designate Sunday, 22 April 2012 as “Peace On Earth Day” throughout the City of Philadelphia and to issue a “Call To Prayer” to the City of Philadelphia’s Interfaith Community. The Interfaith Community “Call To Prayer” will be one of a number of events facilitated by the House of Umoja, Inc. on “Peace On Earth Day” – Sunday, 22 April 2012 -- from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. in the 1400 block of North Frazier Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of Philadelphia’s veteran and well-respected journalists, E. Stephen Collins who hosts Radio Station 100.3 WNRB’s (Radio One) Philly Speaks and serves as the radio station’s Director of Urban Marketing and External Relations will host a live broadcast. Free health screenings will be provided along with health exhibits and information for wellness. The event which is a component of the House of Umoja, Inc.’s multi-tiered Think Green Peace 2012 Initiative, will also feature a Peace Garden planting demonstration; a healing ceremony for burying grievances; presentations by VIP guest motivational speakers including The Honorable Louise Williams Bishop who represents Philadelphia’s 192nd Legislative District in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives; music; performances by fraternity steppers and a drill team – The Show Time Steppers; a prison art exhibit – “The Peace Connection”; face painting, games, and clowns to entertain the children; and the release of peace doves which will punctuate a memorial “for those we will always remember”.

“Arguments and petty misunderstandings seem to be driving the rising acts of deadly violence throughout the City of Philadelphia. These acts of violence are symptoms of a much deeper problem. We must get to the bottom of why so many people in our City – particularly our youth – our young adult males – are so angry. We must work together in a loving and collaborative spirit to heal their shattered souls and broken spirits. The House of Umoja, Inc. strives to psychologically empower African-American youth by creating an African centered milieu inundated with positive self-images and an accurate body of self-knowledge. The objective here is to encourage youth to reject violence and violent impulses to address their grievances but to take
a positive ownership of their future. They will bury their anger and need for revenge in the ‘Peace Garden’ on ‘Peace On Earth Day’. We are focusing on past and current social research studies which have clearly demonstrated the inextricable linkage between self-esteem and self-identity. Our overall perception and global judgment about ourselves directly impacts our perception of the world and our relationship to it. It drives our ability to cope and operate as self-sufficient agents within our environment. Cultural awareness and acceptance is crucially inherent to the identify formation process for members of racial and ethnic minority groups. Fundamentally, we believe that a healthy cultural self consciousness, which involves the
recognition, respect, appreciation, and love of the characteristics and attributes unique to each group, is needed in order to combat oppressive social and environmental conditions that engender emotional
difficulties as poor self-esteem, low motivation, feelings of failure and entrapment. We are reaching back into our traditional philosophy of kinship and common good. People who lived in ancient African villages, were members of a clan, a family group. Everyone worked together for the common good. Their first thought was not, ‘I want to
do this my way’ rather, their first thought was supposed to be, ‘I want to do what is best for the people in my village’. The City of Philadelphia is our village. Moving our children and our youth to commit to nonviolence and perpetuating the late Dr. King’s legacy of nonviolence and social justice is doing what is best for the people in our village. As we continue to move our children to commit to nonviolence and provide options for self-sufficiency for our community, we are also building a bridge to the future. The Umoja Social Justice Academy which is currently under development, is a bridge to the future – a future that perpetuates the House of Umoja, Inc.’s legacy of nonviolence, social justice, and self-sufficiency,” remarked Queen Mother Falaka Fattah.

For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc.’s “Peace On Earth Day” event, and its Think Green Peace Initiative 2012, visit its website at www.houseofumoja.org or contact Queen Mother Falaka Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com.

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THOUGHT LEADER, EDUCATOR, AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR MRS. CONNIE GRIER LAUNCHES NATIONAL MODEL FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

CONTACT:
Mrs. Connie Grier
Founder, The RESPECT Alliance
(215) 605-8620

PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) -- 27 March 2012 – Inspiring our children – our future – our bridge to the future – to excel academically and “want more, do more, and be more” has become one of the Millennium’s daunting challenges for educators, school administrators, parents, and school districts throughout the United States. Mrs. Connie Grier, an educator, school administrator, and Thought Leader, has launched The Respect Alliance (www.therespectalliance.org) -- an organization that moves parents and other key stakeholders into the education equation to create an environment that provides our children – our future – our bridge to the future – with rigorous academic training, well-honed analytical skills, a thirst for knowledge, and a strong desire to “want more, be more, and do more”. Heralded by many as a national model for educational leadership, The Respect Alliance creates a partnership between parents, educators, and school administrators – key stakeholders – for the purposes of supporting student achievement and academic excellence.

“Parents are essential educational partners who are necessary for student achievement. The RESPECT Alliance is moving the focus of parental involvement in education to one of direct parent-to-school relationships. We have individuals on board who each have over 15 years experience in the School District of Philadelphia along with ancillary partners who have worked with the School District of Philadelphia who are using their individual and collective expertise and experience to create a student-community-family collaboration. Some of the services that we offer which, by the way, are provided at no cost include professional development on educational issues – home supports for students, PSSA and other state mandated testing strategies, parents events in community locations throughout the tri-state area, and e-consultations,” remarked Mrs. Grier when reached for comment.

To learn more about The RESPECT Alliance, visit the organization’s website at www.therespectalliance.org or call (215) 605-8620.
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GREGORY JOHNSON SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP ROLE IN 2012 INTERNATIONAL MEN'S DAY

CLEVELAND, OHIO (USA) – 20 MARCH 2012 -- The International Men’s Day Coordination Committee is pleased to announce that Mr. Greogry Johnson, an executive manager, publisher, public speaker, entrepreneur, researcher, leadership and executive coach, and
organizational development specialist has accepted its invitation to assume a leadership role for 2012 International Men’s Day. Mr. Johnson is the Ohio and Florida (USA) Regional Coordinator for 2012 International Men’s Day which will be observed in over 60 nations
around the world under the theme “Helping Men and Boys Live Longer, Happier, Healthier Lives”. International Men’s Day (www.international-mens-day.com) was inaugurated on 19 November 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago by Jerome Teelucksingh, Ph.D., Chairman of the
International Men’s Day Coordination Committee and faculty member in the History Department at the University of West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. A worldwide observance that resonates with Women and Men, International Men’s Day shares a 48-hour partnership with Universal Children’s Day which is celebrated on 20 November of each year and is endorsed by the United Nations.

Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Principal Partner and Chief Executive Officer of the Integrity Development Leadership Institute and is the former President and Chief Officer of the Pinellas County Urban League in St. Petersburg, Florida and former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio. His career in the
health care industry has spanned 20 years in various professional capacities such as Vice President of Mercy Hospitals, Administrator of Rheumatic & Immunologic Disease at Cleveland Clinic and Manager of Business Operations for Hanna Pavilion of University Hospitals of Cleveland. He has also served as the State Director of the March of Dimes in Ohio.

One of the strongest advocates for Fatherhood in the United States, in 2000, Mr. Johnson formed a non-profit titled I Am A Dream for the express purpose of providing Fatherhood and Family information through workshops, newsletters, public speaking and networking throughout numerous communities, the United States and the World. He published a newsletter titled I Am A Dream. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Johnson and his wife, Dr. Theresa Mejia-Johnson, launched a publishing venture – a bi-monthly parenting magazine for Fathers-- Fathers Perspective. He has spoken and written on the subject of Fatherhood in many locations throughout the U.S., including Phoenix, Albuquerque, Washington, D.C., West Palm Beach, Denver, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio and others. Johnson is associated with domestic and international Fatherhood organizations and networks to share information and further the important mission of Fatherhood and the responsibilities to children and families.

Organizations and individuals in Ohio and Florida that are interested in raising awareness for and participating in the worldwide observance of 2012 International Men’s Day, should contact Mr. Gregory Johnson by e-mail at: dreams4fathers@msn.com.

THE HONORABLE CHIEF ROBERT MEXHALANIYAT RED HAWK RUTH: A MAN WO GREETS THE WORLD WITH AN OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIND

Currently serving his second term which began in 2007 as Chief of the Lenape Nation, The Honorable CHIEF ROBERT MEXHALANIYAT RED HAWK RUTH is also the 2011 and 2012 International Men’s Day (www.international-mens-day.com) Regional Coordinator for the Lenape Nation in the United States. He is a compassionate man endowed with the Wisdom of the Ages who greets the world with an open heart and an open mind. As the founder of the Red Hawk Singers and co-founder of the Red Hawk Dance Troupe, CHIEF ROBERT MEXHALANIYAT RED HAWK RUTH -- has reintroduced our global village to the rich culture, history, and traditions of indigenous people who are members of “First Nations”. CHIEF ROBERT MEXHALANIYAT RED HAWK RUTH played a pivotal role in the historical event, “The Rising Nation River Journey”, which culminated in the 2002 signing of the “Treaty of Renewed Friendship”. He is the co-curator of “Fulfilling A Prophecy: The Past and Present of the Lenape in Pennsylvania” which is located in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. A Consulting Party with the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Washington Crossing National Cemetery Project and for the Federal Highway Administration on the I-95/GIR Improvement Corridor Project, CHIEF ROBERT MEXHALANIYAT RED HAWK RUTH is also involved in the Penn Cultural Heritage Center and the Maya Area Cultural Heritage Initiative.

Where was CHIEF ROBERT MEXHALANIYAT RED HAWK RUTH born? Where was he educated?

“I was born in Lenapehoken, the traditional land of the Lenape. This land is also called the state of Pennsylvania. I am a Turtle Clan Lenape and I went to school about 20 miles from Philadelphia,” Chief Robert Mexhalanyiat Red Hawk Ruth responded.

When Chief Robert Mexhalaniyat Red Hawk Ruth was asked to talk about the role models he had as he made his journey from childhood to adulthood, he immediately pointed to his Father.

“My earliest role model was my father. The things I remember most was I learned to love and respect the natural world around me. I learned to trap and hunt at an early age. As I grew, I learned from my uncles and extended family. I also learned balance from my mother and aunts.”

And who or what helped to shape his perception of the world outside of his immediate environment?

“Over the years, sitting and listening to the stories of my people. I was blessed to be able to hear these stories from very wise wisdom keepers. These stories shaped my understanding of my place in the world.”

The Lenape Nation is one of a number of “First Nations” that are the original inhabitants of what is now known as the United States of America. With a history that spans at least 10,000 years, the Lenape Nation lived, worked, and raised families in a region of the United States now known as Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Delaware. At one point, were there three major or distinctive groups within the Lenape Nation – a northern group, known as the Munsee (Minsi or “People of the Stone Country”), the Unami or Delaware (“People Who Live Downriver”), and the Unalachtigo (“People Who Live By The Ocean”) who resided in what is now known as southern New Jersey? Is the Lenape Nation the original tribe of all Algonquin-speaking peoples and viewed as the “Grandfathers” by Algonquins?

“The Lenape Nation has always been called the ‘Grandfather People’. Today, our Lenape/Delaware people are spread across Turtle Island, the United States, and Canada. I am a ‘Down River Person’ or Unami. Today, we are working with our relatives, the Munsee to work together to save our language and to come together to strengthen our traditional culture.”

The Lenape Nation holds in high regard and protects the two most vulnerable members of its community – children and the Elders. Why is it important to protect children and the Elders? Is there a direct connection between protecting children and the Elders and a community’s ability to create a nurturing and safe environment for everyone?

“Our Elders and children are part of the Great Circle of Life. Both are to be honored and protected. The Elders are the ones who teach the traditions and ways of our people to the children. Children are our future. It is from our children that our future leaders and Elders will come. From the time of birth, a child is brought to ceremony and to community events. A sense of belonging and being a part of a people – a major part is instilled in our children.”

What are the roles and responsibilities of Men in the Lenape Nation? What are the roles and responsibilities of Women in the Lenape Nation?

“Roles are very important. Both boys and girls are watched carefully by their parents and by the Elders, especially the Clan Mothers. They can tell a lot about a child by how a child interacts with others. They watch to see if a girl helps her mother and learns from her. Boys are watched to see if they do things for the family without being told. The Clan Mothers know who will be a Clan Mother or a Chief from this. Roles are often based on the special gift the child has.”

How does the Lenape Nation prepare its boys and girls for their future roles and responsibilities as spouses and parents? Is “Manhood Training” or a “Rites of Passage” provided for boys in the Lenape Nation?

“Preparation for future roles and responsibilities come from watching the parents and other adults in their life. The Elders say, ‘A eagle has two wings. If one wing is hurt or not as strong, the eagle can’t fly. If both wings are strong and equal, the eagle can soar’. In our Nation, people have medicine societies – both men and women. These societies make sure the children learn how to be a man or woman who know they are a vital part of our community. Both have different ‘Rites of Passage’. I can only speak from the Men’s Society. If a young man feels the pull he can go to his Elders and go on a Vision Quest or other ceremonies.”

Is information technology – iPods, FACEBOOK, YouTube, iPhones, MySpace, iPads, lap tops, blogs, and play stations – robbing our children of their imagination and helping to distort their sense of reality and understanding of socially responsible behavior? What action can and should be taken by parents, educators, business leaders, school administrators, academic and religious institutions, and concerned community members to ensure that our children positively utilize their imagination and have a healthy sense of reality and an undistorted understanding of socially responsible behavior?

“Modern technology is changing so fast that responsible and thoughtful use has not kept up. As with everything around us, there are two sides of the same coin – one negative and one positive. It is the responsibility of all of us to help our children to use technology and not be used by technology. There is a balance that needs to be instilled. A child needs to be in nature. They need to run and play and discover the world around them. A very wise chief told me, ‘We need to have one hand on the computer and one hand on the Mother Earth’.”


What valuable life lessons can the world learn from the Lenape Nation about the importance of valuing and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community -- our children and our elders?

“Our communities are only as strong as the most vulnerable members. We have a practice called ‘give away’. You take something that has meaning to you and look around and see someone else that could benefit from that gift and gift it to them. It teaches use and that it’s not possessions, but people who are important. The more importance a thing has, the better a gift it will be. What better gift than to protect our children and our Elders! How wonderful is it to see a young child bring a plate of food to an Elder? What a lesson that teaches us all!”

Chief Robert Mexhalaniyat Red Hawk Ruth, under your leadership as the Lenape Nation (USA) Regional Coordinator for 2011 International Men’s Day, the Lenape Nation participated in this event along with over 60 nations throughout our global village. Why did you decide to accept the invitation from the International Men’s Day Coordination Committee to assume a leadership role in 2011 and 2012 for International Men’s Day? Why is International Men’s Day important? Does International Men’s Day have the potential to bring healing to our families, our communities, and our world?

“Because of the effects of colonialism, our people withdrew for protection and survival. Yet we knew our original intent from the Creator was that we were caretakers of this land. Part of being a caretaker is helping our neighbors understand their connection to all their relations. We all are different leaves coming from the same root. Like the ‘give away’, how better to be a caretaker and help others with the special gifts each of us has been given! I am honored and humbled to be a small part of International Men’s Day. The fellowship of so many caretakers from around the world is a model we all can learn from. It is only through working together and from learning from each other that we will make history -- one boy at a time. Wow!”

On 13 September 2007, the United Nations General assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The principles of this Declaration have been embraced by members of the Lenape Nation. Why is this international recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples so important – particularly to the Lenape Nation?

“For years we looked outside of ourselves for recognition of who we are. The only problem with that is you give up who you truly are. By allowing some one to give you something like that, you also give them the right to take it away. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People was written by indigenous people. I think Article 3 says it all: ‘Indigenous people have the right to self determination.’ By virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.”


In 1653 an important treaty was negotiated between and signed by Delaware Chief Tamanend and William Penn. That treaty promised the establishment of “peaceful colonization and coexistence”. The Delaware and the Europeans enjoyed a peaceful coexistence until shortly after the death of William Penn in 1737. In 2010, the Lenape Nation launched the signing of the “Treaty of Renewed Friendship” at the Penn Museum. Is the 2010 Signing of the “Treaty of Renewed Friendship” a not so subtle reminder of the need for peaceful coexistence? What is the mission of the 2010 Signing of the “Treaty of Renewed Friendship”? How many individuals and organizations have signed the treaty?

“Actually, our first signing of the ‘Treaty of Renewed Friendship’ took place in 2002. We looked at the old broken treaties that often promised to be kept as long as the rivers flow. At that time, we felt the need to work with our neighbors to protect our sacred river, the Lenape Sipu, the Delaware River. For centuries we kept our part of the river. We did ceremonies, we kept it from being polluted. The only trouble was that our neighbors who live upstream dirtied the river and it flowed down to us. We needed to come together. We needed to become caretakers, not only us, but our neighbors had to be shown how to be caretakers, too. We knew from the past that promises have to be sustainable. We decided to have a peoples’ treaty that would be renewed every four years. That first treaty was signed by over 150 environmental organizations, churches, universities, and yes, even government agencies. From that seed so much has happened. It truly shows that when a group of people come together with respect and an open mind to learn from each other, great things can happen. I can see the same thing taking place with International Men’s Day.”


The Lenape Nation has endured unspeakable tragedies. Yet, the Lenape Nation has nurtured and raised families, extended its hands in friendship to individuals, communities, and institutions outside of its
immediate environment, and preserved its rich culture and history. The spirit of the Lenape Nation and its people remain unbroken. How has the Lenape Nation remained so resilient in the face of the most difficult set of circumstances?

“We saw first hand what colonialism does. We live it everyday. I don’t want to paint a picture that the devastation and tragedies has not had a devastating effect on Lenape culture and family. I can remember a time when during a time of hardship, when a family was being devastated by substance abuse, an Elder asked is there a way to go back and use the things that helped us survive and use traditional ways to bring things back to balance. The Lenape Nation’s greatest asset has been its ability to flow and be truly aware of our environment. To learn from it. One of the things I am so proud of is that our people lived on this land for 10,000 years and yet we left no track, no trace. The first Europeans who came up our river asked us the question: ‘How many people are in your tribe?’ We could not answer them. How could we count the birds of the air or the trees in the forest? Everything was our tribe. We are all part and parcel of the creation.”

A great cloud of change has enveloped Planet Earth. On the surface, this great cloud of change has manifested itself in a number of ways. A global economic recession is altering how we live, plan for the future, raise our children, and interact with and relate to one another. Peaceful civil unrest in the United States in the form of Occupy Wall Street has spread from city to city as it points out the needs of the nation’s “have nots”. We are witnessing public protests by citizens in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Greece, and Russia. Turmoil in its many distressing forms appears to be everywhere. Are we being moved by an invisible force to rethink how we live, work, nurture, and love and to rebuild our families, communities, and institutions? Has this great cloud of change that has enveloped Planet Earth created a shift in a source we call “energy”? As a result, has this source that we call “energy” become more intense? Is it making our thoughts and our words more powerful? What words of wisdom would you, Chief Robert Mexhalaniyat Red Hawk Ruth and the Lenape Nation, like to offer that will help us recognize the paradigm shift that Planet Earth has entered as an opportunity to bring about healing and positive transformation to our homes, communities, and our world through our words and our deeds?

“Lomewe, luwe na okwes xu laxakwihele xkwithakaika: A fox would be let loose upon the world. This is the first line of one of our ancient prophecies. It foretells a time of change. The Elders have a saying, ‘Everything begins and everything ends with the Creator.’ The source from where we came from and the source where we will return. There is a natural law, a way of flowing with the current. Our society has been paddling upstream. We try to control our environment. We have cut down all the trees. When we separate ourselves from each other and from nature we go against the laws of nature. The Elders say, ‘This is a time of change. It is the time to go back. Back to our original intent, our source.’ Each of us has been given a special gift. It is a time of awakening. A time to use this special gift. Just look at what people from all over the world have done with International Men’s Day. It is a shining example of what we can do when we become caretakers of each other. I have been truly honored and humbled to be a small part of it. Wanishi.”


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HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. ISSUES CALL TO PRAYER TO PHILADELPHIA'S INTERFAITH COMMUNITY

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


PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 19 March 2012 -- On Sunday, 22 April 2012, the House of Umoja, Inc.’s (www.houseofumoja.org) facilitation of an Earth Day 2012 Celebration in conjunction with its multi-tiered Think Green Peace 2012 Initiative will be marked with the issuance of a “Call To Prayer” to Philadelphia’s Interfaith Community. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples throughout the City of Philadelphia are being asked to offer prayers for peace and healing. Under the leadership of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, the House of Umoja, Inc.‘s Earth Day Celebration which occurs on 22 April 2012 will become the vehicle for bringing together stakeholders, all of whom have key “pieces of the puzzle” to bringing hope, beauty, healing, and peace to our streets, neighborhoods, and to our City.


“Religious institutions are stakeholders that have a key ‘piece of the puzzle’ to bringing hope, peace, and healing to our streets, neighborhoods, and our City. The House of Umoja, Inc. is issuing of a ‘Call To Prayer’ to Philadelphia’s interfaith community. We are asking every church, synagogue, mosque, and temple throughout the City of Philadelphia to lead their congregations in offering prayers for peace and healing for our children, our neighborhoods, and our City on Sunday, 22 April 2012 which is also Earth Day. Prayer is powerful . . . it feeds the spirit and nurtures the soul. The Earth Day Celebration is not just about creating an environmentally-friendly environment. It’s also about understanding and getting in touch with the mind-body-spirit connection,” explained Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, the Founder of the House of Umoja, Inc.

Since the launch in July 2008 of its multi-tiered Think Green Peace Campaign, the House of Umoja, Inc. has transformed vacant lots that were filled with debris into Peace Gardens that yield fragrant and colorful flowers and a broad variety of delicious vegetables. The Peace Gardens are also a place where members of the community can purge themselves of their issues and anger by writing about their issues or anger on a piece of paper and burying the paper in a hole in the ground located at the edge of the Peace Gardens. The House of Umoja, Inc. is an internationally acclaimed organization which has, since its founding in 1968, provided interventions in negative and violent behavior and positively shaped the minds and souls of over 3,000 urban adolescent males between the ages of 15 through 18.

For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc.’s Earth Day Celebration 2012 and its Think Green Peace Initiative 2012, visit its website at www.houseofumoja.org or contact Queen Mother Falaka Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com.


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RETHINK! REBUILD! RENEW!

Close your eyes. Tap into your imagination. What do you see? Do you see your street, your neighborhood, or your city? Vacant lots once filled with unhealthy and unsightly debris have been transformed into gardens that yield colorful and fragrant flowers and an astounding variety of edible vegetables. During the week –- on school days – the doors of every church, synagogue, mosque, and temple are open at seven o’clock in the morning. Members of the congregation are busy preparing and serving a healthy
breakfast to children who would otherwise go to school on an empty stomach. No longer are the children on your street, your neighborhood, and in your city going to school hungry and unable to concentrate on their studies. And members of the congregations escort the children to school to make sure
that they arrive there safely and on time. Weekly community council meetings bring together neighbors, concerned citizens, health care professionals and providers, social services professionals and providers, Fatherhood Practitioners and Advocates, ward leaders, block captains,
legislators, legal professionals, law enforcement professionals, educators, school administrators, grassroots community organizations, business and religious leaders, and social entrepreneurs to discuss and resolve issues of public safety, economics, education, Fatherhood, positive male role
models, and physical and mental health. What do you hear? Listen closely. Men and Women on your street, in your neighborhood and in your city are talking about how the rehabilitation of boarded-up and abandoned houses and
storefronts have helped to eradicate blight, reduced crime, attracted jobs and businesses, and created a nurturing and safe environment that is conducive to positively shaping the minds and souls of our children – the future – our bridge to the future. Do you hear the songs of happiness that
the children on your street, in your neighborhood, and in your city are singing – songs that replace the nightmarish sounds of deadly gunfire? And what do you feel? Hope? Love? Compassion? Tranquility?

Is this a dream? It should be a new reality for you, your children, yourneighborhood, and your city. While it is true that communities and cities throughout our global village are beset with a plethora of challenges, these challenges are actually *opportunities *in disguise. The Universe is
tapping each of us on the shoulder and whispering: “Rethink! Rebuild! Renew!”


We must rethink how we are preparing our children – the *Emerging Keepers of the Planet – for their future. Are we programming our children for success or for failure? Are we teaching them, through our words and deeds, how to channel negative energy into positive energy; peacefully resolve conflicts; and constructively deal with anger, pain, fear, disappointment, and rejection? Do we teach them simple arithmetic and how to read and write before they are enrolled in pre-school education classes and regular
school? Are we introducing them to foreign languages, music, and art? What life lessons are we teaching our children about compassion, decision making, collaboration, loyalty, and integrity?

Contrary to popular opinion, our children – our future – our bridge to the future – listen to everything we say. But they are also watching us to see if we are “walking the talk”, particularly when it comes to what we say our expectations are for them. For example, we expect our children to go to
school and learn and to excel academically. That’s what we tell them. We also tell them why they need to do this: If they go to school, learn and excel academically, don’t drop out of school, and graduate from high school, they will have a future – they can get a job or go to college. But
are we attending the PTA meetings, going over our children’s homework every evening, making sure they are studying for tests, arranging for tutoring of our children in subjects they are struggling with, motivating them and
engaging them in daily conversations about what is going on in school, and making sure that the School Board and our children’s principals and teachers understand that we are holding them accountable for providing our children with a quality education and a learning environment that is free
from bullying and violence? If we are not doing any of these things, what message are we really sending to our children about how much we care about their education? More importantly, are we giving our children something to
aspire to? When they travel to and from home and school, do they have to worry about being the victim of random and deadly gunfire? As they look around the streets and the neighborhood business corridors, what do they see? Do they see thriving communities and an economic oasis that will
supply them with careers and jobs? Can they say to themselves, “Okay, if I continue to get good grades, learn as much as I can in school, and stay in school and graduate, I can work in one of the neighborhood businesses – I can work in and be successful in my own neighborhood. Or I can start my own business right here where I grew up and provide jobs for people in the neighborhood! I have a future here. I can see it. I can even raise a family of my own in the neighborhood where I grew up – where people mentored me,
nurtured me, and loved me. I don’t have to leave to be successful.” Now isn’t that what we really want? Isn’t that what the village really needs? Doesn’t the village need its children – whom it nurtured, mentored, and loved – to return or remain in the village to care for and protect its most
vulnerable members – our babies and our Elders*?

We must rebuild the village. Let’s create Community Councils that bring together key stakeholders – you, your neighbors, health care professionals and providers, social services professionals and providers, Fatherhood
Practitioners and Advocates, ward leaders, block captains, legislators, legal professionals, law enforcement professionals, educators, school administrators, grassroots community organizations, business and religious leaders, social entrepreneurs, and our youth*. Community Councils can
identify and work to resolve the key challenges that exist in the village – blight, housing, education, economics, health – physical and mental, crime, violence, Fatherhood, and positive male role models. They would create and
implement action plans and partnerships that would set in motion, for example, the rehabilitation of abandoned houses and vacant storefronts; attraction and retention of responsible homeowners and business owners to the neighborhoods; mandatory academic enrichment programs and anger management and conflicts resolution training for all children; equal access to preventive health care and medical and parenting resources and support services; and the monitoring and enhancement of the quality of education
provided by educators and school administrators in neighborhood schools and the academic performance of children attending these schools.

We must renew our faith in each other; our ability to make the impossible possible; and our commitment to our children – our future – our bridge to the future.

THE ANATOMY OF A FATHER: WHEN THINGS GO WRONG -- DAVID WILLIAMS

If I were to ask my 6 year old son what makes up a father, he would probably say a father is made of up arms, legs, a nose, a mouth, two eyes and two ears. Though from him that answer would have been acceptable but today I seek to go deeper than that. On the web you can find several articles about what makes a good dad or father. And they all would contain a laundry list of traits and characteristics that most would say a good father should possess: strength, courage, love, patience, etc. And I am inclined to agree but it is difficult to be all these things all the time. In certain situation some traits are more helpful than other. So what about in the times of trouble or when a crisis hits his family.

Recently my family was stricken with a crisis. I recently learned that my older teen son was introduced to sex by another older teen, his step-brother. Upon receiving this disturbing news I immediately fell to the floor and begin to cry and for a moment was inconsolable in my anguish. My emotions ran the gamut. I went from hurt, to confused, to angry, then back to hurt. I wondered how this could happen in my house, to my family, to my son. I attempted to gather myself because I needed to know how I was now going to help my sons. You see I thought I had covered all the bases. I mean we have had the sex talk plenty of times and I had been very forthcoming and candid in those talks. So I thought. What was I going to do now? What was I going to say? My family was in crisis. I had to decide quickly how I was going to handle this situation. I was going to find out tonight, as a father, what I was really made of.

It was then I chose to not look at this crisis as a time of trouble but to look at it as an opportunity. It was an opportunity for me to demonstrate to my sons the same love and grace God shows me on a daily basis. So I pondered on what kinds of character traits I would need to exhibit that night and all the days thereafter in order to demonstrate the love of God and I came up with the following:

Be a good listener. Oftentimes our children are trying to tell us what going on. We must not only listen with our ears but with our hearts. This is especially true for boys. From a young age they learn that men/boys are not to share their feelings so we must really take advantage. We must learn to listen for the underlying meaning and feelings. We have to pay just as much attention to how our kids say something as we do to what they are saying. When we listen we unconsciously communicate to them that what they feel, think and say matters.

Be Understanding. Sometimes our own emotions can get the best of us and we can easily forget that we are not the only person dealing with a crisis. We have to keep our emotions in check. Children may take emotional cues from us. Try to create a loving, trusting environment.

Be Affectionate. In times of crisis families need one another more now than before. Your child needs to see that you love them the same if not more in times of crisis.

Be a Protector. As the father we are charged with protecting our families. That means we now have to Be Proactive. We have to walk out in front, anticipating the pitfalls. We have to make sure we do not place our children in harm’s way. This means monitoring more closely who they hang out with, what they watch, and how you act in front of them. Learn from past experiences and respond with a more productive approach. We have to set boundaries. Think about basketball. If there were no boundaries player would be running everywhere. You would have players running out of bounds, going back and forth from one side of the court to the other, making passes from the stands. It would be a mess. Boundaries are in place to maintain some sort of control and order.

Be Engaged. A good father is an involved father. Take to the time to learn about what is going on in their lives. Meet their friends. Invite them over. You can prevent a lot of things from happening if you learn more about the company your child keeps. Spend time quality time with doing whatever. You would be amazed at what they will talk to you about in these times.

Be Consistent. In such a busy, fast-paced world it can be very hard to be consistent. We think it is just too much but I have found that it is easier than we think. We are consistent with trivial things every day. I know a woman who takes her smoke break the same time every day. Many of the people in my office get there coffee at the same time, made the same way every day. If you examine your own daily life you will find several consistencies in it as well. Now ask yourself, are any of these more important than my child’s wellbeing. I would hope that if you are reading this then your answer is a resounding no.

Lastly, Be Present. You can do none of the abovementioned items if you are not there. Our kids need us to be there. They need our provision, love, care, strength, compassion, but most of all our time.

I have resolved to use this situation to become an even better father than I was already striving to become. I am proud to be a dad and I take that role more seriously now. And though I don’t wish times of crisis for anyone, I have learned that it is in those times we find out what we are made of. It is then we learn the Anatomy of a Father.


Please enjoy this poem by an unknown author.



A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.
He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Father's Day

~Author Unknown~