CONTACT:
Queen Mother Falaka Fattah
President and Chief Executive Officer
House of Umoja, Inc.
(215) 473-5893
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com
PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – – Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – the birthplace of the United States of America – the House Of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.net), a globally acclaimed institution, will launch its “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative in partnership with The City Root (https://www. thecityroot.com), an online publication which is founded by Mr. Kevin Chevalier who serve as the publication’s Publisher and Editor, in observance of African American History Month on Saturday, 24 February 2024 from 6:00 P.M. through 10:00 P.M. at the Ultra Silk Gallery, 3808 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.. “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative is the brainchild of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, President and Chief Executive Officer of the House of Umoja Inc. and a component of Philadelphia’s observance of the National Million Father March. Addressing the rise in the banning of African American literature by schools and public libraries that is occurring in cities throughout the United States will also be explored by the House Of Umoja, Inc. during its observance of African American History Month on Saturday, 24 February 2024 at the Ultra Silk Gallery at 3808 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. The American Civil Liberties Union in Massachusetts (www.aclum.org) provides a list of literary works penned by African American authors that are being removed from schools and public libraries on its website. A number of schools and public libraries in Western Pennsylvania; Bucks County, Pennsylvania; and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania have removed literary works penned by African American authors. The arbitrary removal of books in schools and public libraries that has occurred in Pennsylvania, which raises constitutional issues, is being met with legislative push back. Pennsylvania State Senator The Honorable Amanda Cappelletti has introduced legislation into the Pennsylvania General Assembly which prohibits schools and public libraries from banning books (see “Montgomery County State Senator Wants PA To Prevent Schools, Libraries From Banning Books” at https://www.cbsnews.com/
Launching of the “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative by the House Of Umoja, Inc. on Saturday, 24 February 2024 at the Ultra Silk Gallery, 3808 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will take the form of a panel discussion entitled, “Books vs. Bullets: 1968 To Present”. Panelists who are invited to participate in the dialogue include:
· Mr. Anthony Bannister-Fattah – Coordinator, Philadelphia National Million Father March – House Of Umoja, Inc.; Director, Community Outreach - House of Umoja, Inc.
· Ms. Brielle Kimmins - Daughter of the late Philadelphia anti-violence activist Mr. C.B. Kimmins
· The Honorable Curtis Jones, Jr. - Philadelphia Councilmember; Vice Chair of the Philadelphia City Council’s Committees on Parks and Recreation and Cultural Affairs; Chairman of the Philadelphia City Council’s Committees on Public Safety; Commerce and Economic Development; and former resident of the House of Umoja, Inc.
· Dr. Maurice Brian Henderson – Founder and President of National Men Of Color; Executive Director at National Black Art Spoken Word Tour; author; playwright; and former resident of the House of Umoja, Inc.
· Baba Hakim Tendaji – House Of Umoja, Inc. Site and Security Manager; former resident of the House of Umoja, Inc.
· Anwar Johnson – Clinical Social Worker, UMOJA Youth Peace Corps; Founder and Lead Clinician, The Greater Undoing Therapy Services (https://thegreaterundoing.com
· Mr. Gregory Bucceroni – Under the auspices of the City of Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office – Town Watch Integrated Services Program, established City of Philadelphia Neighborhood Town Watch Programs, School Safe Corridor Patrols; Business Watch Crime Prevention Programs; and Community Support Services. Former resident of the House of Umoja, Inc.
· Ms. Jacqueline Taylor-Adams – Panel Moderator; Program Director – UMOJA Youth Peace Corps
The House Of Umoja, Inc.’s launching of the “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative comes at a time when the globally acclaimed organization ushers in its 17th year as the leader and organizer of the City of Philadelphia’s observance of the National Million Father March which was created by the late Philip Jackson, Executive Director of the Black Star Project, (https://www.blackstarproject,
“Reading Is Resistance” is an initiative that serves as a vehicle all Fathers – Single Fathers, Incarcerated Fathers, Divorced Fathers, NonCustodial Fathers, Married Fathers, and Custodial Fathers – in Philadelphia can utilize to improve their child’s reading and writing literacy skills and ensure that their child is reading at least one grade level above their current grade. Fathers are being asked, among other things, to select books that they and their child can read together; to read to their child; and have their child read to them. Fathers are being asked to:
1. Set rising academic expectations for their child for each quarter of each academic year which their child must meet.
2. Determine if their child requires tutoring in any of their subjects and, if required, arrange for their child to receive tutoring in the subjects they are having difficulty mastering.
3. Review their child’s daily homework assignments, particularly homework assignments that require the application of reading and writing literacy skills to ensure that their child (a) has fully completed the homework assignment; (b) prepared the homework assignment in a legible manner; (c) understands the tasks that must be completed in the homework assignment; and (d) understands the information and instructions received in the classroom that is required to correctly complete the homework assignment;
4. Review their child’s test score results in the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science literacy skills tests administered annually statewide.
5. Familiarize themselves with the central administration of the Philadelphia School District’s polices governing their child’s graduation, promotion, and retention. As an example, the policies governing the graduation, retention, and promotion of students in Grade 9 through 12 which Fathers should know are provided below, and excerpted from “Marking Guidelines School Year 2020-2021 Grades 9 Through 12” (https://www..philasd.org/
Board of Education Policy
Graduation Policy
A 12th grade student shall graduate if they:
● Successfully complete a Multidisciplinary Project or a Service Learning Project
● Earn a total of 23.5 credits, which include:
o 4 in English
o 3 in Mathematics
o 3 in Science
o 3 in Social Studies
o 1 in African American History
o 2 in World Language
o 2 in Arts and Humanities
o 1 in Physical Education
o 0.5 in Health
o 4 in electives
One elective must be a college preparatory Mathematics or Science course, an IB course, an AP course, or a terminal CTE course.
Schools or programs may predetermine specific subject area elective credits.
*A change in the graduation requirements, Act 158 of 2018, establishes additional requirements for high school graduation effective with the graduating class of 2022. The law creates multiple alternative pathways to graduation for students who are not proficient on the three Keystone Exams in Algebra I, Literature and Biology. See the PDE website for more information. . . .
Promotion and Retention
The Board of Education (the “Board”) of the School District of Philadelphia is committed to excellence in student achievement and recognizes the importance of a district-wide promotion policy which supports students’ grade placement in a setting most appropriate for personal, social, academic, and physical growth.
Guidelines
. . . A determination of promotion and/or retention of students will occur annually at the close of the school year. In regard to the timing of such action, exceptions to this policy can be made by the assistant superintendent after consultation with the principal, teacher(s), parent(s)/guardian(s), and with the approval of the Superintendent. . . .
Promotion Policy
Promotion from grade to grade is based on credits earned:
● Promotion from 9th to 10th grade – 5 credits
● Promotion from 10th to 11th grade – 11 credits
● Promotion from 11th to 12th grade – 17.5 credits
Established in 1968, the House Of Umoja, Inc.'s successful track record of transforming the lives of and working with over 3,000 youths has moved universities and institutions that include, but are not limited to, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (https://ojjdp.ojp.gov) and the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov) to seek the expertise of Queen Mother Falaka Fattah and her late husband Mr. David Fattah, Sr. in the areas of gang reduction, youth programming, and community organizing. Former United States Presidents The Honorable James Earl Carter and the late Honorable Ronald Wilson 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.’s “Reading Is Resistance” Initiative and its organizing and leadership role for the City of Philadelphia's observance of the National Million Father March, contact the House of Umoja, Inc. at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to falakafattah@aol.com, or visit the organization’s website at https://houseofumoja.net.
For further information about The City Root which is a partner in the House Of Umoja, Inc.’s African American History Month observance which is scheduled for Saturday 24 February 2024, visit the publication’s website at https://www. thecityroot.com
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