WHEREAS
, In the summer of 1973, the City of Philadelphia experienced a record number of 44 gang related deaths leaving the surrounding communities struggling to find a solution. As gang warfare began to escalate out of control, Queen Mother Falakah Fattah and her husband David Fattah established the House of Umoja, a safe haven for at-risk youth involved in urban gangs. Since its establishment, the House of Umoja has become a program that dedicates its services to the positive development of youth, reducing violence and abusive behavior, providing interventions in negative behavior and improving the quality of life for economically disadvantaged urban male youth and their families; and
WHEREAS
, In 2008 author Stephen C. Satell wrote
No Gangwar in '74
profiling the true stories of how the House of Umoja, helped stop numerous killings and other acts of violence and changed the lives and attitudes of over 3000 Philadelphia at-risk youth; and
WHEREAS
, The House of Umoja is a critical tool for instilling the values of peace, hope and a sense of community on an international level, and its recognition by Mr. Satell in his book
No Gang Wars in '74
brings publicity to its importance and success. Through their efforts, the House of Umoja's mentoring program for at risk students is now internationally recognized and has become a model for helping children make lifelong commitments to nonviolence and to want more, be more and do more; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,
That we hereby recognize and celebrate the House of Umoja on its 41st Anniversary of combating gang violence in urban communities and Author Stephen C. Satell for memorializing the work through his book
No Gangwar in '74.
FURTHER RESOLVED
, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the House of Umoja and Mr. Stephen C. Satell.
End