by SER National | May 24, 2026 | News & Updates
AND THE AMERICANS WHOSE SACRIFICE BUILT THE NATION WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN
A Tribute to the Fallen and to the Enduring American Belief That Every Generation Has a Role to Play in Building a Stronger Country
IRVING, Texas — SER National joins communities across the United States and Puerto Rico in observing Memorial Day, a solemn national day of remembrance for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to the country.
“Memorial Day calls on all of us to pause and honor the Americans who gave their lives so that the rest of us could pursue ours,” said Ignacio Salazar, President and Chief Executive Officer of SER National. “The most meaningful way we can honor that sacrifice is by doing the work of building a stronger country by helping every American develop the talents they were given and by working together as one people toward a shared future,” he added.
Memorial Day dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan, then Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order No. 11, designating May 30 as a national day to honor those who died in the Civil War. The first major observance that year took place at Arlington National Cemetery, where some 5,000 Americans gathered to decorate more than 20,000 soldiers’ graves. After the First World War, the observance was expanded to honor all American service members who had died in defense of the nation. In 1971, Congress formally established Memorial Day as a federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May.
The freedoms preserved by their sacrifice are the same freedoms that allow Americans to learn, work, build businesses, raise families, and contribute their talents to the strength of the nation. That is the inheritance every generation receives, and the inheritance every generation is asked to steward.
This Memorial Day, SER National invites every American to take a moment of reflection — to visit a national cemetery, to attend a local ceremony, to place a flag, to read the name of a fallen service member aloud — and then to recommit to the work of strengthening the country they died for. The development of the individual’s talents, the dignity of work, and the power of Americans working together remain the surest tribute we can offer..
by SER National | May 3, 2026 | News & Updates
AND THE ENDURING SPIRIT OF COURAGE, SKILL, AND SHARED PURPOSE
SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc. (SER National) joins communities across the United States in observing Cinco de Mayo, marking the anniversary of the May 5, 1862, Battle of Puebla, a moment in history when an outnumbered, under-equipped force, led by Texas-born Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza, held the line against a far larger army through discipline, unity, and uncommon resolve.
“Cinco de Mayo reminds us that courage, preparation, and unity can overcome the steepest of odds,” said Ignacio Salazar, president and CEO of SER National. “At SER, we see that same spirit every day; in the worker pursuing a new credential, in the young person stepping into a first career, in the experienced professional choosing to upskill again. Our affiliates and the people they serve are proof that when Americans commit to learning, working, and lifting one another, our economy and our country grow stronger.”
More than 160 years later, the lesson of that day in Puebla endures. It is a universal story of ordinary people, working together toward a common purpose, finding strength in one another, and turning long odds into lasting inspiration. It is, in many ways, a universal American story; the story of what people can accomplish when they prepare, persevere, and stand together.
“That spirit is at the heart of SER National’s work,” states Salazar. “For more than six decades, SER has invested in the most powerful resource any nation possesses: its people. Through the SER Network of Affiliates, which spans 26 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, more than 1 million participants are served each year with education, training, employment services, and pathways to economic opportunity. The affiliates are the engine of that mission: community-rooted, locally led, and indispensable to every chapter of SER’s success,” he adds.
That achievement aligns with the most recent labor data as well. The U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs in March 2026, the strongest monthly gain since December 2024, with the unemployment rate at 4.3 percent and the Hispanic unemployment rate at 4.8 percent. The numbers tell the story of an economy that continues to move forward; one that has weathered uneven months, absorbed shocks, and once again demonstrated the durability of American work and American workers. Behind every data point is a person, a family, and a community choosing to build, to learn, and to keep going. That is the legacy of American strength, and it is the foundation on which the next chapter will be written.
“The American economy continues to evolve, bringing new challenges and opportunities,” adds Salazar. “SER National believes the path forward is the same path the holiday celebrates in spirit: shared effort, steady resolve, and the willingness to keep learning. Workforce development, the lifelong commitment to gaining and renewing skills, remains the most reliable engine of individual advancement and national strength,” he concludes.
On this Cinco de Mayo, SER National extends its appreciation to its affiliates, partners, employers, educators, and, most of all, the participants whose determination drives the work forward. Their progress is America’s progress.
