On Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - the first day of the 2011-2012 academic year - the City of Philadelphia, along with approximately 738 cities throughout the United States, participated in the National 2011 Million Father March. The House of Umoja, Inc. and Universal Companies, Inc. joined forces to facilitate the event for the "City of Brotherly Love" and both organizations are pleased with the community response and turn-out the initiative garnered.
National 2011 Million Father March in Philadelphia from Universal Companies on Vimeo.
Students and their fathers assembled at Universal Vare Middle School and marched to Universal Audenried Charter High School. "I represent being a man who cares about his community and his children!" shouted one concerned father. Universal Companies co-founder Kenneth Gamble was also in attendance.
"We asked Fathers to encourage their children to excel academically, to ‘want more, be more, and do more,’ and to pick up a copy of their child’s roster along with a copy of the Academic Calendar Of Events from their child’s school," remarked Mr. David Faatah of the House of Umoja, Inc. Fathers in attendance were encouraged to meet the principal and teachers of their child’s school. Additionally, House Of Umoja, Inc. asked all Fathers to encourage their children to commit to nonviolence by signing the Imani Pledge.
The National Million Father March was created in 2003 and is the brainchild of Mr. Philip Jackson, the Founder and Executive Director of the Chicago, Illinois-based Black Star Project (
www.blackstarproject.org).
Universal Companies was proud to support this effort locally.
