Nonprofit aims to support girls through mentorship, launches media and sports program in Compton

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- Saving Our Daughters is an organization that aims to eliminate social barriers young girls face through mentorship and education.

The organization has now expanded its work into some local school districts.

"Giving them a place and a space to learn more about how to articulate their emotions, but also fostering an environment where they can learn from the industry's finest," said L.A. program director, Amen Oyiboke.

Monday, Saving Our Daughters launched its behind-the-scenes program at Compton Early College High School with the support ESPN journalist and Host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, Malika Andrews, who in 2022, became the first woman to host the NBA draft.

The program focuses on TV, film, theater and sports.

"If I can be that person for somebody and make them a little bit more comfortable in stepping into their own truth, that's something that I take very seriously, because I don't think that I would have been able to do that without the women who sort of blazed a trail for me," said Andrews.

The students asked Andrews questions about her career and participated in a mock interview.

"This is my first time being a part of something like this, but I could tell it's gonna go so far. Everyone seems so encouraging through your career paths and they and I could truly see that they want to help and support you young girls," said student Mariah Prenatt.

"Not a lot of people my age or around where I live experienced these type of things. So it was an amazing opportunity," said student Madelyn Camacho.

"We get to grow with them, get to have new people come every month in the semesters so that they can really foster relationships not just only with the mentors, but with Saving Our Daughters," said Oyiboke.

Among the organization's longtime supporters is actress and singer Keke Palmer, who co-founded the Saving Our Cinderellas program.

The organization, founded in 2009, honors Iliss Marie, the co-founders' daughter, who died at the age 12 following a cancer diagnosis.

"Curtis Benjamin, his daughter was into the arts and she really loved and adored Keke," said Oyiboke.

Since then, the organization has grown and evolved into programs like the one brought to young students in Compton Monday.

"They are inspired by Malika. They are looking at her, I could see that they are saying, 'oh, I can do that. I can achieve that goal,'" said Dr. Pamela Maddox, principal of Compton Early College High School.

For more information, visit www.savingourdaughters.org.