People’s Summit for Democracy, the voice of millions
The People’s Summit for Democracy will take place from June 8 to 10 in Los Angeles (USA), and for three days, there will be art, music, debates, workshops, round tables and mobilizations to raise the voices of the people and imagine a new world that prioritizes people’s democracy.
In the tradition of each Summit of the Americas since the 2005 Mar Del Plata Summit, unionists, activists, grassroots organizations, and progressive people of the Americas are calling for a People’s Summit to counter the summit of the Organization of American States (OAS), which is led by the US government. For more on the OAS, read the Tricontinental Institute’s Red Alert 14.
This year, a coalition of over 225 local, national and international organizations are convening the People’s Summit, including the International Peoples’ Assembly, ALBA Movimientos, The People’s Forum, ANSWER Coalition, CODEPINK, Poor People’s Campaign in California and Unión de Vecinos among others.
Stephanie Brito of the International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA), explained, “This event was convened by organizations and popular movements in the United States and seeks to call attention to all the issues that are important to the people and to struggles that are taking place in this country. We claim that the United States, instead of intervening in democratic relations and processes in other countries, should attend to the needs and injustices taking place within this own country”.
On behalf of the IPA, Stephanie Brito stated, “solidarity with the anti-imperialist struggles taking place throughout Latin America and the Caribbean”, and called for “an end to sanctions against Cuba, Venezuela and all democratic processes in the continent”.
The People’s Summit takes place at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College, in California, USA. To register and see the full schedule, go to peoplessummit2022.org. You can also follow live coverage and broadcasts of the activities. Follow the Peoples Summit on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and using #PeoplesSummit22.
The People of the Americas have the Last Word: Final Declaration of the People’s Summit for Democracy
June 10, 2022
Los Angeles, California
The People’s Summit for Democracy in Los Angeles, California, has been a historic gathering of thousands in defiance of the Biden administration’s policy of exclusion. Over 250 organizations representing workers, immigrants, women, Black and Indigenous peoples, the LGBTQIA+ community, and many other communities in struggle, came together to share a vision of the future that is inclusive and grounded on the principle of solidarity.
In this three-day event of cultural performances, workshops, panels, exchanges, and discussions, we deepened our understanding of the current state of our region and broadened our perspective of the experiences and struggles that connect us to our brothers and sisters across the continent, and the world.
The future envisioned by Biden’s summit does not prioritize the people of our continent. It is a vision where the United States has free reign over the internal affairs of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean; one that puts the political and economic interests of the United States and big business over that of the people. To that end, the Organization of American States (OAS) continues to be a tool to fight against progressive forces in the hemisphere and to legitimize coups, intervention, and politics of exclusion. It serves no positive role and must be abolished.
The exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua have already made Biden’s summit a political disaster; we add that this exclusion does not speak for the working class and people of conscience of this country who desire friendship and dialogue with all the peoples of our hemisphere.
During our time together, we marched, we danced and we raised our common voice in protest against injustice. We not only analyzed and criticized the failings of the current state of affairs but also exchanged strategies in order to guarantee our survival and advance forward. We shared proposals to build the future we want, need, and deserve; a future we dare to build, now.
In the “richest country in the world,” 140 million live in or near poverty. The US government is addicted to militarism and war and will spend over $800 billion in 2022, on death and destruction. Instead of preparing for war, society must be organized to meet human needs. We want a future without evictions, police violence and mass incarceration, deportations, sanctions, and blockades. We say: no more! We want a future where we all have access to adequate housing, healthy food, health care, education, and culture. We say full amnesty and rights for all immigrants. We must eliminate all forms of white supremacy, racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, and all types of discrimination and oppression.
We will defend the right of the people to organize and speak out, to build real democracy – a people’s democracy – in a climate characterized by censorship and disenfranchisement. We will protect voting rights and the rights of workers to form unions and collectively bargain. We will protect all the advances in favor of civil and human rights that have been gained by our movements throughout history, like the human right of women to control their bodies. We will defend Mother Earth and fight against extractivism and the exploitation of the land.
This Summit we have built together has been a bridge across organizations, movements, regions, languages, and borders. We are creating bonds between us and unity across our different struggles. While the time we have spent together is coming to a close, we affirm the ongoing fight for a more just world and rededicate ourselves to it.
We are fighting against an Empire that is determined to hold on to global supremacy— a dangerous illusion that puts humanity and the planet at risk. No matter how hard the road ahead is, we draw strength from the centuries of struggle before us, from those who have risen up and overcome systems that in their day appeared invincible.
Humanity has no other choice but to fight. We will be on the streets, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces and homes, constantly building and organizing, carrying out the thousands of small tasks and big struggles that together bring us closer to victory. Our planet needs us, our people need us, and we will win!
