“I think that if they are expressing an interest in something, even if it’s not the thing that you did as a child or that all of their friends are doing, or it’s something you know nothing about, let’s explore the resources because they are out there.” - Illana Raia When developing the future female leaders of tomorrow, it’s so important for them to be aware of the females leaders that are impacting the world right now. Today’s Finding Brave guest was inspired by her own daughter to put female role models in front of girls at an early age, and as she shares, we all have a part to play in this critical movement. A former Skadden lawyer and guest lecturer at Columbia University, Illana Raia has been busy since 2016 founding Être - a resource and mentorship platform for girls approaching high school. She thinks of Être as knowledge strategy for girls - highlighting valuable tools and role models they will need to change the world - and contributes regularly to HuffPost, Medium and Thrive Global on these issues. Named a Mogul Influencer in 2017, Illana has appeared in the HuffPost "Talk To Me" video series, participated in the 2018 Balance Project Interviews and the 2019 #WomenWhoRock campaign, and has been featured on podcasts like The Other 50%, UBS’ Signature Series and Women To Watch Media. Her journey from lawyer to founder was profiled in Forbes and Worth, and her first book - Être: Girls, Who Do You Want To Be? - launched October 11, 2019 on Day of the Girl. We won’t change the times until we talk about these issues openly, honestly, and with the younger generation. In this episode, Illana reveals why reaching out to girls in middle school is not too early, and as adults we can play a pivotal role in springboarding the change we need right now, because mentors matter and bravery starts early. To learn more about today's guest, visit: https://www.etregirls.com