Mentorship for the Next Generation
This week on The Women’s Current, Sylvia and Molly sit down with Illana Raia, Founder & CEO of Être Girls, an organization that is redefining what mentorship looks like for today’s girls. Illana explains how confidence grows through visibility, and how early access can open doors that girls often never see. She also shares why bringing girls into real rooms — with real women leaders — changes everything.
Together, they explore what ambition looks like across generations. They talk about why girls need women showing up as much as speaking up, and how supporting the next generation strengthens all of us.
Because when women invest in girls, the tide doesn’t just turn — it accelerates.
In This Episode
Sylvia and Molly talk with Illana about the power of early mentorship. They look at why girls need real access, and how even small moments of visibility can change their path.
In this conversation, they discuss:
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Why access often matters more than advice
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How mentorship builds confidence and belonging
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What girls say they want — and what they rarely see
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How women can show up across generations
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Why real-world experiences shift ambition
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How lifting girls also lifts women
Molly adds the millennial view and reflects on how mentorship has changed for younger women.
About Illana Raia
Illana Raia is the Founder & CEO of Être Girls, a mentorship platform that connects middle-school and high-school girls with trailblazing women across industries. She is a former corporate attorney and a guest lecturer at Columbia University. Her advocacy and leadership have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, and PBS.
Illana is also the author of The Entreprentice and Girls, Lead! Her work helps girls build confidence, gain access, and feel seen. Through Être, she brings girls into boardrooms, studios, law firms, and startups. As a result, they see what is possible long before anyone tells them otherwise.
Links
Illana Raia — https://www.illanaraia.com/
Être Girls — https://www.etregirls.com/
Watch Full Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GunUOI4hs6o
Produced by Life Après® — conversations that move women forward.
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