Garcelle Beauvais Honors 'Fearless' Children's Defense Fund Mentee

We're teaming up with Shout Out for a Cause and BJ Korros to bring you this edition of The Giving Carpet from the 28th annual Beat the Odds Awards!

BJ caught up with Garcelle Beauvais on the red carpet, who is mentoring "dynamic" Children's Defense Fund - California honoree Samantha Galindo!

"She is fearless. She's gone through a lot, and she's come up on top, and she's amazing," Beauvais says of Galindo.

Beauvais' Kids Call Her an 'Amazing' Mom

Beauvais is joined by her two sons, who were quick to praise their mom for her philanthropic efforts.

"She just gives back. She's an amazing mom, and it's so great to learn from her and what she does, and not just to be greedy and be grateful for everything we have," Beauvais' son Jax Joseph Nilon gushed.

Well said, Jax! His twin brother Jaid Thomas Nilon chimed in:

"I learned to never give up, because she's been through a lot, like these kids, but she hasn't given up and she's done everything she can to protect us and to be the mom she is today."

Garcelle Beauvais as a Mentor

Galindo says that the most important thing learned from being mentored by Beauvais is to smile, adding:

"Listen, this girl is so special. She is going to make us all proud. We're already proud!"

Alfre Woodard on 'Brilliant' Children's Defense Fund Honorees

Actress Alfre Woodard, who was also in attendance, said of the work of the Children's Defense Fund:

"They are brilliant young people, and so you want to be around them. You want to contribute everything you can to help them across the fields that they navigate," she says. "Somebody helped me—somebody always is still helping all of us, so we're constantly in process. There's no place else to be than where smart people are active."

For more on the Children's Defense Fund - California, visit cdfca.org.