Help Achieve 'Equality for Our Kids' This Weekend At The Empowerment Congress Summit

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Areva Martin stopped by the KCAL 9 studios Friday to talk about a new campaign regarding autism and children happening this weekend.

Areva is rallying up her troops this weekend, January 14th, at the 20th Anniversary Empowerment Congress Summit to launch Equality for Our Kids – Stand Up, Speak Up, Take Action year-long campaign.

The recent LA Times article described the inequities of the delivery of services to African American and Latino autistic children. In California, $4 billion a year is set aside for people with developmental disabilities. Of that, $638 million is allocated to the Dept. of Developmental Services to be used for autism, which is distributed to 21 non-profit regional centers.

However, Areva calls the way the money has been distributed "an outrageous inequity" and "a civil rights issue". Children in Orange County received an average of $18,000 in services, while children in South LA received less than $2,000 in services. The article states that an average of $11,723 per child on white, compared with $7,634 on Latinos and $6,593 on blacks.

Areva's non-profit Special Needs Network is inviting more than 1500 attendees to participate in a letter writing campaign and wear purple to the Empowerment Congress Summit to symbolize their support. The summit is from 8 am to 2 pm and includes free admission, breakfast, lunch and workshops.

For more information, click here.