Broadway star Kara Young inspires Harlem students through 'Saving Our Daughters' program

NEW YORK -- Tony Award-winning actress Kara Young returned to her hometown of Harlem to surprise students at PS 161 Pedro Albizu Campos school through the organization Saving Our Daughters.

During her visit, Young shared lessons on confidence, sisterhood and pursuing big dreams.

"When you meet younger people, especially because I'm in Harlem and I'm seeing these young people of color, I want them to dream big," the actress said.

"And I want them to dream bigger than me. But I want them to also make themselves be seen, have pride in when they say their name, and always be kind and uplift each other."

Founded in 2014, Saving Our Daughters is an organization dedicated to supporting young girls of color in overcoming barriers and empowering them to achieve their highest potential. The girls in the organization are also called "Student Cinderellas" and are paired with women of color in the entertainment industry, referred to as "Celebrity Godparents."

"A program like 'Saving Our Daughters is so important because we get to meet different actresses like Kara Young today," said one of the students named Sophia.

"And we get to listen to their own perspectives and listen to how they got on Broadway and how they get to be on that big stage," the student added.

For more on Saving our Daughters visit SavingOurDaughters.org.