
In 1983, she co-wrote the theme song "Flashdance.. What a Feeling" for the movie "Flashdance," winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song and becoming the first Black woman to win an Oscar in a non-acting category, as well as the youngest recipient for songwriting.
Cara was married once but divorced without having children, and she passed away in 2022 from hypertensive heart disease. She lived in Florida and continued to pursue her music and performance activities until her final days.