AND THE ENDURING SPIRIT OF COURAGE, SKILL, AND SHARED PURPOSE
SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc. (¶¶Òõ´«Ã½) 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 ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½. “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 ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½’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. “¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ 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, ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ 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.