Photo: Opening session of the People’s Summit for Democracy. Credit — Mídia NINJA
From June 8-10, people from across the hemisphere gathered in Los Angeles for the People’s Summit for Democracy. This gathering was held to counter the so-called “Summit of the Americas,” organized by the Organization of American States and the Biden administration. Biden and the OAS’ summit was a humiliation, with many countries downgrading their participation or boycotting outright in protest of the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. But the People’s Summit for Democracy was a huge success, drawing enthusiastic participation that eclipsed attendance at many of the official Summit of the Americas events.
The concluding plenary heard from the following panelists, as well as messages of support from Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, former President of Bolivia Evo Morales, and Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.
- Brian Becker, a central leader of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the show host of The Socialist Program on Breakthrough News, and National Director of the ANSWER Coalition.
- D’atra Jackson, National Director of BYP100 who has been involved in #DurhamBeyondPolicing, Justice for Reefa campaign, Black Mama’s/Black August Bail Outs, and many other efforts.
- Jean Roach, Mnicoujou Lakota, an artist, activist, and co-director of the International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. Jean is a Survivor of the 1975 shoot out in Oglala.
- Mikaela Nhondo Erskog, a researcher and editor at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and a member of the Pan Africanism Today Secretariat, which coordinates the regional articulation of the International People’s Assembly.
- Pastor Cue, Pastor of The Row LA and an organizer with Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE). Pastor Cue is co-lead organizer of the Black Jewish Justice Alliance and co-convener of the “We Will Live” Coalition
This video was recorded by BreakThrough News, the official livestreaming partner of the People’s Summit.
