Do you say YES to new opportunities you know nothing about? Take a listen to how Captain Zeita Merchant links her years as a Girl Scout to becoming the first Black woman to command @USCG Sector New York, the most consequential port for the nation’s security since 9/11. “That was the first uniform I ever wore, and I wore it proudly. It was the first time I rose my right hand to (take an) an oath and it was to God and country. How different was that as a child than what I decided to do as an adult." Growing up in Chicago and Jackson, Miss., Merchant wanted to be a doctor but couldn’t afford it. She happened to meet a recruiter on campus at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss. She NEVER thought she wanted a career in the military. As captain of the Port of New York/New Jersey, the nation’s second-largest U.S. port, Merchant advises young people this: “...Open your aperture...the exact thing you think you may not want to do is the thing that could be for you...It's making a decision to get out of your comfort zone.” Watch here: youtube.com/watch?v=jypAWN0Q… Much appreciation to @Zeita_Merchant for this interview. Shout out to @SpinItSocial & @sohnsocialmedia for their help in producing the show! I also thank @MeridithMaskara & @girlscoutsnyc for the opportunity to meet Captain Merchant at their Achievement gala last month. #WomenToFollow