Watch CBS News

Jobs Top Concern At LA's 'Kitchen Table Summit'

INGLEWOOD (AP) — Over 2,000 residents gathered around tables at a Los Angeles-area high school gymnasium to vent their frustrations about the lingering recession and call on their elected officials to focus on job creation.

Congresswomen Maxine Waters, Laura Richardson and Karen Bass attended Saturday's "Kitchen Table Summit" at Inglewood High School, listening to voters' stories of layoffs, losing homes and job searches that have gone on for over a year.

Refugio Mata with GoodJobsLA, the grassroots group that organized the gathering, called the event a "large-scale therapy session," allowing struggling residents of urban areas to come together and commiserate about how the economic crisis affects them.

The jobless rate in California tops 12 percent. Rep. Waters called unemployment her "major focus and primary adversary."

Attendees urged politicians and corporate officials to sign a pledge to support a wide-ranging national jobs program.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.