Leaders from Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope and ally organizations launched plans for a powerful effort called, "The People’s Campaign."

A standing room-only crowd at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church were challenged and inspired though stirring presentations of what emerged as an old-school civil rights meeting with a new school twist!

The meeting began with an emotional presentation called, "Creative Protest," in spoken word by activist and poet Muhibb Dyer. "They cannot break us," Dyer exclaimed while beating his chest as a dozen leaders from The Campaign Against Violence stood before the congregation during the presentation.

Following the opening were a series of presentations that were designed to add substance and information to the inspiration. Pam Fendt, executive director of the Good Jobs and Livable Neighborhoods Coalition, stated, "Public investment should create public benefit."

Fendt, who also is a member of a MICAH congregation, argued the value of this campaign. "Residence Preference works in Milwaukee, but it has not been applied consistently."

During the meeting, Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, when asked would he commit to support an ordinance to expand the Residence Preference Program, shouted before the crowd of 600, "Absolutely!" Hamilton, who represents the district where the meeting was held, pledged that he would sponsor the proposed legislation.

It was Hamilton’s predecessor, former mayor and alderman of the first district, Marvin Pratt, who worked with MICAH in 1992 to pass the original legislation of the Residence Preference Program. Alderman Tony Zeilinski, also addressed the crowd and vowed to support the proposal.

The meeting also included a little humor. Before delivering the piece calling for support for the legislation, Father John Celichowski of St. Martin De Porres, stated, "I have the least sexy piece of tonight’s meeting but that make sense I am the only one up here to make a vow of celibacy."

In his call to action, Reverend Joseph Jackson, chair of MICAH’s Jobs and Economic Development Task Force, shouted, "This is about jobs, jobs, jobs." Jackson added, "I heard a preacher say ‘Before God gave Eve to Adam, He gave Adam a job’."

MICAH intends to continue this campaign until a major shift in economic development matters has taken place. They plan to increase their focus on grassroots leadership training and development and pushing for the mayor’s support.

While officials from the mayor’s office were in attendance to show support, MICAH leaders still challenged the crowd to let him know how they felt. "Call him and tell him he should’ve been here and he missed a powerful meeting," said MICAH President Reverend Louis E. Sibley, III.

BlackNews.com--This is not your typical social-networking site.

In fact, there probably isn’t even a category yet in technology to place this Web site. And that’s the way the Reverend Willie Anderson likes it.

When he launches a new venture later this month called www.ChurchpreneurTV.com, a site dedicated to providing Christians with a real-time urban social networking portal, it could have the potential to start a new trend.

While social--networking giants MySpace and Facebook have become as ubiquitous as McDonald’s and Wal-Mart, ChurchpreneurTV aims to reach a new market: urban Christians, many of whom are African Americans who aren’t necessarily attracted to the broad social networks offered on some of the larger Web sites, but still long to have their voices heard.

And while most social-networking sites allow users to interact online, and share videos and music, Anderson said none has been able to do what ChurchpreneurTV is trying to do: empower people.

Religious-themed social-networking sites--like StreamingFaith.com and GodTube.com--are popping up all over the Internet, allowing users to start prayer groups, generate videos or tune in to a favorite spiritual leader. Users and creators say the sites provide family-friendly alternatives to networking sites that contain more objectionable content.

ChurchpreneurTV plans to use some of the same features made popular on other sites. For example, users will be able to upload and share videos as they now do on YouTube, and create profiles and make friends as they can on MySpace. There will even be different channels available that cover a variety of topics.

But never before, Anderson said, have users been able to do all that in real time. So instead of just watching a sermon online in front of a computer at home, someone will be able to view it while it is being preached, interact with the sermon, and then turn the camera on himself and share his thoughts. The site is still in its beta phase, however, and the full site will be available soon. And it’s coming to a bandwidth near you. For more information, visit www.churchpreneurTV.com.