CLOSING THE LITERACY GAP FOR ALL BOYS AND ADOLESCENT YOUNG MALES IS GOAL OF PHILADELPHIA'S 2017 NATIONAL MILLION FATHER MARCH

CONTACT:  

Mr. David Fattah,
Coordinator National Million Father March – City of Philadelphia
House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail:  falakafattah@aol.com    

          PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – The House of Umoja, Inc. has selected the Mastery Charter School located at 5300 Media Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as its site for the orchestration of the National Million Father March on Tuesday, 5 September 2017 – the first day of the 2017-2018 academic year. Fathers are being asked to gather at 7:00 A.M. (E.D.T.) at the office of the House of Umoja, Inc., located at 5625 West Master Streets.   Under the stewardship of Mr. David Fattah of the House of Umoja, Inc., who serves as the City of Philadelphia’s Coordinator for the National Million Father March, Fathers will proceed to the Mastery Charter School to support its “Thousand Men’s Suits” Campaign.  Fathers participating in the March will visit the Universal Bluford Charter School located at 5720 Media Street to congratulate students for achieving high scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (“PSSA”) which is a standardized test administered to all public schools throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that assesses literacy in mathematics and English language arts for Grades 3 through 8.   The March will end at the Universal Daroff Charter School located at 5630 Vine Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Fathers will welcome the school’s new principal.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2017/09/05/million-father-march-philadelphia/

          For the 2017-2018 academic year, the National Million Father March in Philadelphia which marks its tenth anniversary, is emphasizing reading and closing the literacy gap for all boys and young adolescent males throughout the city.    

          “The National Million Father March which is in its tenth year in Philadelphia, will collaborate with key stakeholders to create a learning environment that is safe and pleasant and resonates with self-respect.   This year the emphasis of the National Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia is on reading – literacy.   Our goal is to close the literacy gap for all  boys and adolescent young males throughout the City of Philadelphia – and, in particular -- for African American boys and young adolescent males.  We want all boys to be reading at least at a fourth grade reading level by the end of the academic year.   We want Fathers to participate in closing the literacy gap by participating in reading exercises with boys and young adolescent males in their families. Boys and adolescent young males are underperforming their female counterparts in reading and writing.  Virtually all subjects taught in schools are literacy based –  whether it is science, mathematics, history, information technology, music, or foreign languages and require some form of reading, reading comprehension, and writing.  The literacy skills of boys and young adolescent males will determine whether or not they mature into productive adults who can successfully navigate a highly competitive global job market and help bring economic stability and renewed prosperity to their families, their neighborhoods and to the great City of Philadelphia,” Mr. Fattah explained.  

          Fathers throughout the City of Philadelphia will not only be asked to escort their child to school on the first day of the 2017-2018 academic year, but will also be asked to meet the principal and teachers at their child’s school; obtain a copy of their child’s roster and the school’s academic calendar; focus on their child’s literacy skills and emphasize the importance of reading; and encourage their child to commit to nonviolence by signing the Imani Peace Pledge™.  The Imani Peace Pledge ™ is based on the Imani Peace Pact which was signed by an overwhelming majority of gangs in 1974 and ended years of bloody and deadly violence in the streets and school yards of Philadelphia.  Youths who signed the Imani Peace Pact in 1974 are now – in 2017 -- Fathers, Grandfathers and Great Grandfathers and they continue to honor the promise they made 43 years ago by not engaging in violence.             

          Inaugurated in 2004 in Chicago, Illinois, the National Million Father March is the brainchild of Mr. Philip Jackson, the Founder and Executive Director of The Black Star Project (www.blackstarproject.org) which offers academic and mentoring programs for children, workforce development projects, and school services.  For further information about The Black Star Project, visit its website at www.blackstarproject.org.              

            The House of Umoja, Inc., which has been leading and organizing the National Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia since 2007, is an internationally acclaimed internationally organization with a successful track record of transforming and working with youths.  As a result, universities and institutions that include, but are not limited to, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Prevention and the Center for Disease Control, have sought the expertise of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah and her husband Mr. David Fattah in the areas of gang reduction, youth programming, and community organizing.  Former United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and the late Ronald Reagan have recognized the House Of Umoja, Inc. for its pioneering work which has been documented in published articles  such as A Summons To Life, by Robert Woodson of the American Enterprise Institute in 1981 and The Violent Juvenile Offender by Paul DeMuro and Richard Allison of the National Council On Crime And Delinquency in 1984.            

            For further information about the House of Umoja, Inc., call (215) 473-5893, send an e-mail to falakafattah@aol.com, or visit the organization’s website at www.houseofumoja.net.

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