Media Personality, Civil Rights Attorney and Child Advocate Areva Martin Raises Money on the Catwalk for the Special Needs Network
LOS ANGELES – Calling all fashionistas! Media personality, civil rights attorney and child advocate Areva Martin is inviting all fashionista to dress in their Sunday best for the 14th annual Pink Pump Affair on Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The fun-filled afternoon kicks off with a champagne reception and live auction along with an awards show, honoring women of distinction. Still, the main event is the fashion show, featuring size-inclusive clothing brands from African American designers, presented by MaTte ArGyLe, a Black-owned boutique at Runway Playa Vista and the streetwear designs of Journey Carter, a Gen Z emerging designer.
The annual charity will benefit the Special Needs Network (SNN), which raises money for special needs children and families affected by autism and related development disorders. Award-winning CBS anchor Pat Harvey will serve as the mistress of ceremonies while a very funny lady, Emmy-nominated actress/comedienne Kym Whitley will take the gavel as the celebrity auctioneer.
This year, the women of distinction honorees are award-winning actress/producer Wendy Raquel Robinson and Kellie Hawkins, a partner at Englander Knabe and Allen.
PINK PUMP AFFAIR 2022 HONOREES
Wendy Raquel Robinson – recipient of the Vanguard Award — is a 2021 Emmy-winning producer and an NAACP Image Award-winning actress and philanthropist. She is known for her groundbreaking roles as ambitious, leading women in television and film. She played the no nonsense diva principal, ‘Regina Grier’ on the “The Steve Harvey Show” for 6 seasons, and made television history as the first African American actress to portray Disney’s iconic villain, Cruella DeVille, in the Disney Channel’s, “Descendants,” directed by Emmy-winning director and choreographer Kenny Ortega. She is known for her groundbreaking roles as ambitious, leading women in television and film. For an unprecedented 11 seasons, Robinson has portrayed the feisty, sexy, mom-manager “Tasha Mack,” on the groundbreaking and history-making dramedy, “The Game,”‘ which has premiered and aired on three different networks — that is CW, BET and the recently successful reboot, currently streaming on Paramount Plus. When she’s not on screen, Robinson serves as the co-founder and artistic director of Amazing Grace Conservatory, (AGC), a theatrical training institute, that provides performing, media and digital arts opportunities for youth and young adults ages 5-18 years old in the Los Angeles community for more than 25 years. AGC has touched, moved, and inspired thousands of lives, including prestigious alumni like actress Issa Rae (“Insecure”), actor Ashton Sanders (“Moonlight”), and actor Aldis Hodge (“One Night in Miami”).
Kellie Hawkins – recipient of the Trailblazer Award – is a partner with Englander Knabe and Allen (EKA), leading the EKA Health Initiatives team. She has held distinguished positions in both the public and private sectors. Her training and background offer clients expert counsel on both a practical and legislative level. Before joining EKA, Hawkins served as the chief operating officer for the National Health Foundation (NHF), where she oversaw the day-to-day operational and administrative functions of the organization. She has managed the health and human services practice for The Hawkins Company, an executive recruitment firm, based in Los Angeles. At the federal level, Hawkins worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and advised senior administration officials on fiscal priorities. On a local level, she served in the administration of former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, as executive director of the Commission on the Status of Women. Hawkins also has practical experience in public health, having worked as an epidemiologist for the Los Angeles County Department of Health’s sexually transmitted diseases program. In addition to her professional career, she is civically engaged and serves on the boards of Coro Southern California and Climate Resolve. Hawkins was an American Marshall Memorial Fellow in 2013 and a graduate of Coro’s Health Leadership Program.
SNN’s past Pink Pump honorees include award-winning actresses Jenifer Lewis, Loretta Devine, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Holly Robinson Peete, Tisha Campbell, Niecy Nash and Angela Bassett as well as Senator Barbara Boxer and Vice President Kamala Harris.
FROM CATWALK TO SIDE WALK …. MaTte ArGyLe Presents
From catwalk to side walk, MaTte ArGyLe will showcase the work of four buzz-worthy and sought-after African American designers – that is, Izayla, Madame Adassa, Claude Kameni (also known as Lavie by CK) and Rene Tyler. Helmed by celebrity fashion stylist and costume designer Tashiba Jones-Wilson, MaTte ArGyLe, is a size-inclusive fashion boutique for men and women at Runway Playa Vista, an upscale shopping mall in Playa Vista, Calif., which is nicknamed “Silicon Beach,” and home to tech companies like Facebook and Google. Also, Pink Pump is excited to introduce emerging Gen Z designer, Journey Carter, who will present streetwear looks from her latest collection. Interestingly, at the age of 12, Carter began The Journey Collection as a beautifully-unique hair accessories line, featuring one- of-a-kind handmade bows. The line has evolved into streetwear pieces, including hoodies, t-shirts and hats, all with a socially-conscious theme, featuring Carter’s own hand-sketched artwork.
The 14th annual Pink Punk Affair is sponsored by LA Care, the California Wellness Foundation and Wal-Mart. CBS2/K-CAL9 serve as the official media sponsors of the event. Additional promotional support from MaTte ArGyLe at Runway Playa Vista.
ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS NETWORK (SNN)
Special Needs Network (SNN) was founded by media personality and civil rights attorney Areva Martin, Esq. in 2005 after she was met with obstacles in accessing necessary services for her son, Marty, who was diagnosed with autism at two years old. SNN is one of the nation’s leading social justice, autism, and disability rights organizations. Based in Los Angeles, the organization provides innovative direct service and online programming, focused on supplying aid and resources to hundreds of thousands of families annually. Its mission is to combat the discrimination disenfranchised communities of color face in getting proper care and resources for minority children with developmental disabilities.
Under the helm of Martin, SNN will open the region’s first-ever comprehensive medical and developmental center called the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (C.A.A.D.). The center is scheduled to open fall 2022 on the campus of Martin Luther King hospital in the Watts/Willowbrook community of South Los Angeles. C.A.A.D. will provide tens of thousands of young people and their families with compassionate, integrated diagnoses and intervention services, speech, occupational, physical, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapies.
For more information about SSN, visit SNNLA.org
MEDIA CONTACT | Wyllisa Bennett, publicist du jour/wrb public relations Wyllisa@aol.com | 310.266.9704
AREVA MARTIN is one of the nation’s leading voices for Autism advocacy. An award-winning attorney, advocate, legal and social issues commentator, talk show host, and producer, she is a CNN/HLN legal analyst, former co-host of The Doctors and Face the Truth, and a regular contributor on Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, and Dr. Phil. She currently hosts The Special Report with Areva Martin and is the Host and producer of a weekend radio talk show, Areva Martin Out Loud, on KBLA AM 1580. A Harvard Law School graduate, Martin founded Martin & Martin, LLP, a Los Angeles–based civil rights firm, and is the CEO of Butterflly Health, Inc., a mental health technology company.
