by Ileana Martinez | Jan 13, 2023 | News & Updates
SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc. (SER National) marks the observance of MLK Day 2023 and issued the following statement on this historic occasion:
“Dr. King reminded Americans that as persons of spiritual faith, we are instructed to love others as ourselves and to do so without reservation,” says Ignacio Salazar, President and Chief Executive Officer of SER National. “The message is powerful because, in its simplicity, we are called upon to confront one of the greatest challenges in our daily lives, the beloved community mindset, or love of all. This is the theme that the King Foundation celebrates this year. Indeed, Dr. King personified a life of love activated through actions and did so with all he met, even his opposers. Today, fifty-five years following his death, our nation pauses to remember and honor that legacy of love through service to the community of which we are all a part. SER National, together with the SER Network of Affiliates, is proud of living the beloved community mindset through our array of services, programs, and resources to more than a million people every year across the United States and Puerto Rico,” said Salazar.
Events in observance of MLK Day 2023 are scheduled to be held in communities large and small across the country. The shared themes include diversity, equality, and opportunity for all men, women, and children, regardless of race, color, or creed. Millions of Americans will spend the day as one of service in their local communities. Many residents in the Greater Washington, DC region and leaders from throughout the United States will travel to the nation’s capital. They will participate in a celebratory MLK Peace Walk and Parade, which organizers describe as an event to “recapture the dream and lift every voice ’til victory is won.” Still others will observe MLK Day alone in their homes, in quiet, somber reflection, mindful that the day Dr. King foresaw from the mountaintop has not yet arrived when all people are judged, not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
“SER National is proud to report that many of our team members, program participants, corporate sponsors, and community allies are among the nearly 80 million Americans practicing service through volunteerism in the philosophy of Dr. King,” said Salazar. “We are engaged in social transformation daily through what the King Center calls Nonviolence365, and we are touching lives as did Dr. King, through peaceful educational outreach, teaching job skills, repurposing talent into new careers, trades, and professions. Yes, one person at a time, one neighborhood, city, and state at a time, we are still on the journey towards that promised land when all Americans shall see themselves in the fulfillment of the civil rights movement Dr. King began and which continues even today. Happy MLK Day!” he added.
by Ileana Martinez | Dec 30, 2022 | News & Updates
Ignacio Salazar, SER National President and Chief Executive Officer, issued the following statement closing out 2022 with landmark accomplishments and the sights set on 2023.
“On behalf of SER National and the SER Network of Affiliates, we salute the more than 1 million program participants we have reached and served this year. They entered our doors in more than 200 locations across the country and Puerto Rico with high hopes and expectations to uplift and transform their lives. I proudly announce that we met their needs through our numerous training, education, and assistance services.
The reports show that our program graduates are more robust, better equipped, and eager to progress or return to our nation’s workforce to sustain themselves and their families. From the country’s eastern shores to the Pacific and La Isla del Encanto, we have witnessed the most incredible reward people can experience. Their dignity and self-confidence soared when they received their certificate, diploma, or license and the recognition they earned from family, friends, and employers. This experience was priceless.
Our work touched and changed lives from major urban centers to rural pueblos. These include a second-generation farmworker who became a commercial truck driver, a single mother of three children who started her salon and spa business, and a senior who went to work as a part-time security guard at a high-rise office building. His work ethic impressed tenants, among them the Walt Disney Company, and he was invited to join the family of Mickey and Minnie Mouse as a full-time employee! These are just three of the victories of SER participants. We see many more like these each day, too numerous to list all of them.
SER National and the SER Network of Affiliates will continue in 2023 to remain focused on the mission of service within America’s local communities. We pledge to keep venturing out into neighborhood centers, churches, and civic associations to share our passion for reaching the historically underserved. Count on us to be on watch with our one-on-one attentiveness and caring for every individual we meet. These principles have stood us apart for 58 years, and with God’s blessing, we will prevail with servant hearts even in the face of challenging times. May 2023 bring peace and prosperity to you, and may God continue to bless this great nation we call our home.”
by Ileana Martinez | Dec 23, 2022 | News & Updates
Nation’s Service-Employment-Redevelopment Network Invites All Its Program Participants, Sponsors, and Network of Affiliates to Pause for Peace and Goodwill
SER National shared the following holiday message as millions of people begin to gather to celebrate the season with family and friends.
“SER National respects that this is the time of year when we each observe the profound beauty of our individual faith and freedoms,” said Ignacio Salazar, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Yet, in our hurried modern lives, pausing to gift ourselves the time to reflect is challenging. Indeed, the virtue theology scholars say Americans seek most and often have least is time for gratitude. There are greater and more meaningful truths worthy of our time this holiday season. Among them are our individual God-given talents and how we can share these with others,” says Salazar.
Across the United States, trends show distinct regional differences in aptitudes and skill sets. For 58 years, SER National and its SER Network of Affiliates have celebrated the diversity of America’s workforce and tailored its programs to meet participants where they are. Interestingly, new data detailed within the 2022 Global Skills Report is emerging that affirms the SER model. For example, training programs on an online platform with 100 million users found that participants along the Pacific Coast, the Northeast, or the Upper Midwest score higher in business skills. Yet, the perfect scores in mobile development technology skills were by Mountain region learners.
“Today, America invites all persons to partake in the opportunity of self-improvement through education, not simply a privileged few,” says Salazar. So, while some metrics may show other countries leading in digital performance, supply chain systems, or mobile development, the USA is the one place on earth where we each contribute to the larger whole without losing our individuality or the rewards of our personal striving. This is the beauty of our remarkable experiment called democracy, now enduring nearly 250 years. I am honored to lead a dedicated team that is part of the larger SER family devoted to the power of life-changing transformation through training and workforce development. This is our greatest gift to share this holiday season, and we are blessed to do so with the full knowledge of our faith that our most significant rewards are still ahead,” says Salazar.
by Ileana Martinez | Dec 1, 2022 | News & Updates
Nation’s Service-Employment-Redevelopment Network Introduces Sleek, Forward-Moving Logo That Symbolizes Organization’s Path Into a New Era
Ignacio Salazar, SER National President and Chief Executive Officer, announced a branding campaign that promises to catapult the organization’s transformation into the next five years and beyond as part of a new phase in its 58-year history.
“SER National is extremely proud to present a new branding feel and look that captures our journey into tomorrow with an exciting visually moving symbol of three parallel bars and our iconic SER name above them projecting a powerful, unified message through the genius of their simplicity,” says Salazar. “This design resulted from significant, diverse input from many stakeholders, including staff, board members, and sponsors who shared their vision for the future of SER National and our vast SER Network of Affiliates. Out of this very deliberate process, and with the guidance of the nationally renowned ISP Creative design team, evolved a concept that acknowledges our origins, the growth of SER, blazing our path in the decades since then, and point to the unlimited potential ahead. Best of all, the unveiling of our new branding coincides with the completion of an ambitious 5-year strategic plan,” says Salazar.
ISP Creative’s first goal was to create a symbol for SER National that would be instantly recognizable. “Our minds can capture visual messages an amazing 60,000 times faster than even words,” says Dan Craig, ISP Creative Director. “The sole purpose of a logo is to establish recognition for an organization; one image so readily identifiable with your team becomes as unique as your face or signature to those who know you and other individuals you meet. The other benefit of a new branding symbol is that it says SER National is moving forward, as is the vital role of the SER Network of Affiliates throughout the nation and in Puerto Rico. Plus, a successful logo can be used cross-functionally on all platforms and still carry the same impact. Achieve these objectives, and a symbol takes on a life of its own that reinforces the strength of SER National,” adds Craig.
Salazar says the re-branding will be used throughout all programs, emphasizing their unique but coordinated relationship within the SER family. “I am especially excited about how we are using a new color palette that speaks to our cultural diversity and celebrates that multi-community focus of our programs,” says Salazar. “In the coming days, weeks, and months, we look forward to sharing even deeper reasoning that led to the creation of this new visual identity. We invite our longtime friends and new visitors to visit our website and tour how all this ties together. The future at SER National is now!” says Salazar.
by Ileana Martinez | Oct 6, 2022 | Affiliate News
Esperanza Inc, a nonprofit organization and part of our SER Network of Affiliates, was awarded with the 2022 Example of Excelencia for Community Based Organizations in Washington, D.C. Thursday night for it’s program to further Hispanic college success. Check out this story from Station WKYC and listen to the great work the organization has accomplished for this award!
