These Groups Don't Agree With The Summit of the Americas — So They're Holding Their Own

The 9th Summit of the Americas has leaders from the western hemisphere convening to discuss key issues such as immigration rights and climate change.

However, critics call it the "Summit of Exclusion" —because Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela weren't invited by the U.S. to the event, which is being held at the L.A. Convention Center downtown from Wednesday to Friday this week.

While President Joe Biden will be hosting the gathering of regional leaders, the People’s Summit seeks to “ensure the voice of voices of the poor and working people across the hemisphere are heard.”

Angelica Salas, the Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), says their event aims to highlight topics and groups likely left out from the Summit of the Americas.

"The idea is to ensure that other issues about economics, about worker rights, and labor protections, the rights of women, that all of this is lifted up and discussed, and that our proposals have solutions to these issues are also discussed," Salas said.

The summit will have workshops, music performances from local artists, an exhibition of artwork, and panels with community organizers.

The organizers will also march to the Summit of the Americas on Friday afternoon to make their demands heard at the L.A. Convention Center.

The People's Summit starts Wednesday June 8 until Friday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday at the L.A. Trade Technical College.