Americas Summit: Tuesday’s key moments, upcoming events, traffic update

President Joe Biden is expected to arrive on Wednesday as the Summit of the Americas will formally begin in Los Angeles. Even before the official launch, the City of the Angels was bustling with related events on Tuesday, June 7.

The conference convenes once every three or four years and is expected to address issues including immigration, climate, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit will run through Friday with a focus on “Building a Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Future” in the Americas. Delegates began to arrive Monday, with the main summit events beginning Wednesday. Most events will be staged at the Convention Center.

Here’s a look at the event at a glance:

TUESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

• The Young Americas Forum, hosted by the Young Americas Business Trust, continued around the downtown area. The event was designed for attendees aged 18 to 34, allowing them to “connect with international leaders in an ecosystem that stimulates the spirit of cooperation for a resilient, sustainable future and equitable, inclusive opportunities for the Americas.”
• The CEO Summit, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. State Department at the InterContinental Hotel, brought together diverse business leaders from around the hemisphere.   Participants discussed trade, health economies, digital transformation and strengthening inclusion of small businesses in trade and supply chains. Mayor Eric Garcetti, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Google CEO Sundar Pichai participated.
• The Civil Society Forum continued at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and will run through Wednesday. That event is billed as a forum for “direct engagement between leaders and independent civil society representatives from all of the countries of the Americas.” It will “elevate voices from across the hemisphere focused on a wide range of issues yet together committed to ensuring democracy delivers for the people of our hemisphere.”
• Arriving in L.A. a day before her husband, first lady Jill Biden delivered the keynote address to Los Angeles City College students at their graduation.
• Administration officials said President Biden will this week formally announce the “Americas Partnership” during the summit, a five-pronged effort to bolster regional economies by building on free-trade agreements and addressing “inequality and lack of economic opportunity and equity,” according to the administration official.
• Also during the summit, officials said President Biden will announce more than $300 million in regional assistance to combat food insecurity, along with health initiatives aimed at preparing for future pandemics and a partnership with the Caribbean community to address climate issues. On Friday, the final day of the summit, Biden and other leaders are expected to sign the “Los Angeles Declaration on Migration,” which the administration official described as a pact to pursue a “comprehensive” approach to addressing the crisis.

COMING WEDNESDAY

• 7: 15 a.m. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Department of State will continue the three-day CEO Summit, the official private-sector forum of the summit, featuring business leaders discussing “innovative solutions that benefit us all.” Participants will discuss topics including trade, health economies, digital transformation and strengthening inclusion of small businesses in trade and supply chains. Among those set to participate over the three-day span are Mayor Eric Garcetti, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.  
• 9:30 a.m. The summit will formally will begin with a Ministerial Meeting of the Summit Implementation Review Group, chaired by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
• 2 p.m. President Joe Biden is expected to arrive in Los Angeles, meeting with Gov Gavin Newsom at the airport before heading to the summit.
• All day Wednesday and Thursday: The Sixth Young Americas Forum will bring together young people from around the Americas “to connect with their governments, representatives of the private sector and civil society.”
• 5 p.m. The summit’s Inaugural Ceremony will be held, hosted by Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

THURSDAY

• Time unknown: Biden is expected to have a private meeting with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro said he would attend the Summit of the Americas only if Biden granted him a private meeting and also refrained from confronting him over some of the most contentious issues between the two men, the officials told The Associated Press. He didn’t want any criticism over deforestation in the Amazon or warnings about his questioning of the Brazilian electoral system’s reliability as he prepares to campaign for another term, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.
• 10 a.m. Gov. Newsom will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the establishment of an agreement between California and Canada on climate change.
• 11 a.m. Head of delegation arrivals to the Summit Site
• 2 p.m. Leaders’ Opening Plenary Session
• 7:30 p.m. Leaders’ Dinner hosted by President and Mrs. Biden
• 6 p.m. Ministers’ Reception hosted by  Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken
• 6 p.m. Delegates’ Reception hosted by the City of Los Angeles

FRIDAY

• 9:15 a.m. Leaders’ Second Plenary Session
• 10 a.m.  Leaders’ Roundtables 1 & 2 with Civil Society, Private Sector, and Youth Representatives
• 10:45: Biden will deliver remarks at the Battleship Iowa in San Pedro
• 11:30 a.m. Leaders’ Roundtables 3 & 4 with Civil Society, Private Sector, and Youth Representatives
• 1:30 pm. Heads of Delegation of the IX Summit of the Americas Family Photo
• 1:45 p.m.  Leaders’ Retreat and Working Luncheon hosted by The President of the United States
• 1:45 p.m.  Ministers’ Luncheon hosted by The Secretary of State of the United States
• 3:30 p.m. Leaders’ Third Plenary Session
• 3:30 p.m. Leaders’ Roundtables 5 & 6 with Civil Society, Private Sector, and Youth Representatives
• 5 p.m. Leaders’ Roundtables 7 & 8 with Civil Society, Private Sector, and Youth Representatives

DEMONSTRATIONS/ALTERNATIVE EVENTS

Several alternative events and protests are also planned this week:

• Community, progressive, pro-labor and other groups, including CHIRLA, CARECEN and SEIU 721, are teaming up to host an alternative to the Summit of Americas at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, at 400 W. Washington Blvd. (enter on Grand Avenue) starting Wednesday. It will include music and art, workshops, speakers, debates, panel discussions and performances that highlight the priorities of working and poor people, and to serve as a critique on the U.S.’s impact in the hemisphere. The three-day program is detailed on the event website: https://peoplessummit2022.org/program
• An opening rally dubbed “Migration & Human Rights in the Americas” for the People’s Summit will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 8, at the corner of Olympic and Broadway, with a focus on migration and immigration.
• A  multi-organization protest at 4 p.m. Wednesday is planned at Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Avenue. Organizers include Union del Barrio, Black Alliance for Peace, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN), Socialist Unity Party, American Indian Movement- Southern CA (AIM SoCal) and the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice. More information can be found at the event’s Facebook page and the Black Alliance for Peace website.
• UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations will host its democracy dialogues event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss “safeguarding democracy in the Americas and how to strengthen the Inter-American Democratic Charter.” The event features a master class led by Chile’s president, Gabriel Boric, followed by a Q&A. More information can be found on the event website and the event’s Facebook page.
• On Thursday at noon, “Fight For 15” statewide strike day by fast food workers, part of a labor movement to achieve $15 per hour pay for low-wage workers. Los Angeles City Hall, 200 Spring Street.
• On Friday at 5 p.m., a march will wind from Los Angeles Trade Technical College to “Biden’s Summit of Exclusion,” 0rganized by the People’s Summit for Democracy.

TRAFFIC WATCH

Through Saturday, commuters should avoid:

• The areas between the Santa Monica (10) and the Hollywood (101) freeways west of the Harbor (110) Freeway, whenever possible.
• Connector ramps from the east and westbound 10 Freeway to the 110 Freeway north;
• The 110 Freeway northbound exits into downtown, including Pico Boulevard, Ninth Street, Sixth Street, Fourth Street and Third Street;
• The 110 Freeway southbound exits for Sixth Street and Wilshire Boulevard;
• Figueroa Street, north and southbound, between Washington Boulevard and Third Street;
• Pico Boulevard, east and westbound, between Union Avenue and Grand Avenue;
• Seventh Street, east and westbound, between Bixel Street and Flower Street; and
• Wilshire Boulevard, east and westbound, between Bixel Street and Flower Street.

People can use the following freeway exits to access downtown between Monday and Saturday:

• Exit 16A Santa Fe, 15B Alameda Street, 15A Central Ave, 14B San Pedro Street and 14A Convention Center if traveling westbound on the 10 Freeway;
• Exit Convention Center/Grand Avenue/Olive Street, 14A Maple Avenue, 14B San Pedro Street, 15A Central Avenue, 15B Alameda Street, 16A Santa Fe Avenue if traveling eastbound on the 10 Freeway; and
• Exit 20B 37th Street and Exposition Boulevard, 20C Adams Boulevard, or transition onto either the 10 or 101 Freeways east or westbound if traveling northbound on the 110 Freeway.

Updates on road closures will be provided on Twitter through Caltrans at @CaltransDist7 and @CaltransHQ.

For help/more information

Bicyclists, DASH users, Metro riders and those about to get on a plane can find more information below. Twitter is expected to jam up with details both helpful and dramatic. Here are some online spots to start:

• Unified L.A. (city of Los Angeles): Twitter account @unifiedla and website at http://unifiedla.lacity.org.
• Caltrans District 7 (lane/ramp closures): Twitter accounts @CaltransDist7 and @CaltransHQ.
• Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DASH routes): Twitter accounts @ladotofficial and @ladottransit and website at http://ladottransit.com/whatsnew.
• Metro (buses and trains): Twitter account @metrolaalerts.
• Los Angeles International Airport (airport): Twitter accounts @FlyLAXStats (travel time to and through the central terminal area) and @FlyLAXAirport.
• During the event, people who use Metro’s bike share program may see service interruptions due to the temporary removal of three bike share stations starting Thursday, June 2. The stations will be back June 13.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report