A seed was planted on June 29, 2012 at Barwell Road Community Center, grown to Worthdale Community Center where Director, Carletta Moore and City of Raleigh Parks & Recreation has partnered with Southeast Raleigh Assembly for Social Justice expression a program which falls under our Youth Ambassador Leadership Division and is designed to provide Southeast Raleigh youth, and other Raleigh residents regardless of age a way to express their voice, and talents to the community. Where so many communities are divided by crime statistic Southeast Raleigh is turning the negative tones of our communities to a positive out-come. Local Raleigh talent preforming on the Mic such as A.B. da Best and Rizio provided a voice of created energy. On Friday, October 26 SERA, Inc. launch an great evening of family, youth entertainment at Worthdale Community Center where we enjoyed a creative and inspir-ing time. Our special guest to
cap off the night was Poetic Artist Langston Fuze. SERA, Inc. would like to thank all who took the time to express an interest in hearing the people in your community activating their minds and celebrating a generation of doers. If you have not heard of SERA, Inc.’s new program “Social Justice Open Mic/Open Talent Showcase” welcomes participants between the ages of 13-27 (or Older). This program is not simply and entertain-ment venue, but involves mentors who are between the age of 20-50, and are committed to supporting the youth in developing their gifts and talents through art expression whether it be poetry, positive rap, singing, or expressive dance to face everyday life challenges with a since of pride fullness joy. Check out our website to find out about other youth focused programs.
S E R A , I N C . Y O U T H A M B A S S A D O R
S O C I A L J U S T I C E S O P E N M I C / O P E N
T A L E N T S H O W C A S E
S E R A , I N C . S U P P O R T S T H E P R E T T Y I N
P I N K F O U N D A T I O N
On October 26th, during “SERA,
Inc.’s Youth Ambassador Open
Mike Night”, SERA Inc.
Purchased 7 t-shirts for
volunteers, board members and
youth, in support of a Raleigh
based nonprofit called “Pretty
In Pink Foundation”. This
non-profit provides financial
assistance to uninsured and
underinsured North Carolinians
who have been diagnosed with
breast cancer and unable to
pay for life-saving treatment
and/or surgery. SERA, Inc.’s
commitment to health and well-
ness as a vehicle for enhancing
the quality of life for Raleigh
residents is well known.
O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
S O U T H E A S T R A L E I G H A S S E M B L Y , I N C .
W H A T ’ S N E W I N T H E
C O M M U N I T Y
S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F
I N T E R E S T :
Open Mic/Open Talent
showcase
SERA, Inc. Supports The
Pretty In Pink Foundation
SERA, Inc. request for
Community Support
Get Out The Vote in South-
east Raleigh
Family and Money—
Formerly Know as Women
& Money
College Internship
Innovative Multicultural
Outreach Award
Letter from the President/
CEO—Rita Anita Linger
SERA, Inc. ‘s Youth Ambassador Chairperson
Nina Simone Barrett
In the picture from top to bottom Nahjee Dunston, Carletta Moore, Angela Jackson-Mann, Leslie Robbin, Mahogany Nelson
SERA, Inc. recently applied for the Bridging The Gap Award from the Pearlman Foundation. This grant award will assist us in continue to provide quality services and sup-
port to the residents of Southeast Raleigh and the Triangle. In order for us to win the grant we need as many people as possible to go on-line and vote for our video which describes all of the flagship programs we offer at SERA, Inc. Voting start-ed on November 1, 2012 and will end on November 15, 2012 at 11:59pm PST. The Bridging Gap Award is a grant that assist charitable organizations that
provide tangible services that positively impact the lives of children and families.
Voting opens November 1, 2012. To vote you must:
1. Like the Perlman Foundation Facebook page www.facebook.com/ThePFoundation
2. Choose from the list of approved organizations
3. Vote for SERA, Inc. as your choice.
**Note: Individuals may only VOTE ONCE PER DAY
SERA, Inc. would like to thank you so much for your continued support and please forward this request to your friends and families so they can vote for us as well.
Sincerely, Rita Anita Linger
President & CEO Southeast Raleigh Assembly
SERA, Inc. is looking for college interns who have a passion for
community services. Duties include: Marketing support, supporting local
community events. Interns can act as a student ambassador while fielding
questions and concerns from youth in a personal, and professional matter.
If interested in a college internship with SERA, Inc.
please email your resume: [email protected]
S E R A , I N C . C O M M U N I T Y R E Q U E S T
C O L L E G E I N T E R N S H I P
G E T O U T T H E V O T E I N S O U T H E A S T R A L E I G H
event . SERA, Inc. was
represented at this event &
regularly encourages
community members to
assert their civic responsi-
bility to research candidate
positions, register to vote,
and then vote for the candi-
dates they believe will best
meet their individual, family
and community needs.
Grammy Award winning
Alicia Keys came to Raleigh
to spend time at one of our
local community gathering
places in Southeast Raleigh
“Chavis Community Center ”
with the objective of getting
people fired up to vote. She
spent time with local
volunteers and supporters at
this early voting
Page 2 W H A T ’ S N E W I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y
SERA, Inc. Board Member – Vivian McCoy attending Youth Ambassador Event
Grammy Award winning Alicia Keys
attending “Get Out The Vote” in
Southeast Raleigh
Local Raleigh Poetic Artist Langston Fuze
and Guest attend Youth Ambassador Event
SERA, INC. “Family and Money”,
Formerly Known as “Women
and Money” Series
The Original Goal Was to Teach
Women to Enhance Their Quality
of Life Through Leveraging Re-
sources
Given its rich and storied history, an
entrepreneurial culture and desire to
participant in financial growth does in
fact exist in Southeast Raleigh;
however most of that entrepreneurial
energy centers on traditional busi-
ness venturing. When we consider
declining government resources for
local community and economic devel-
opment - SERA, Inc. believes that we
as a leading flagship Southeast Ra-
leigh non-profit agency with the goal
of “Enhancing the quality of life for
Page 3 S O U T H E A S T R A L E I G H A S S E M B L Y , I N C .
Southeast Raleigh residents and
residents of the greater Raleigh area”,
need to become more actively
involved in trying to solve some of the
area’s most pressing problems
around economic empowerment.
With our “Women and Money” series
we designed an asset-building and
sustainability program which focused
on the women of Southeast Raleigh.
Women make up an over-abundance
of the population within Southeast
Raleigh and many of these women
are either managing single parent
households or are elderly. 74% of
Southeast Raleigh residents are
African American,10% are Hispanic,
and 21% are White. According to
demographic data, the median
income within historic Southeast
Raleigh is $31,189 per year.
More than a fifth of the families in South-
east Raleigh have incomes below the
poverty level. The unemployment rate in
Southeast Raleigh was more than three
times the rate for the city of Raleigh as a
whole and four times the rate in Wake
County. With the decline of the economy
and income generating opportunities for
the communities we serve becoming more
challenging, we felt this was in fact, an
opportune time to teach women how to
leverage whatever financial resources
they have, no matter how small. Building
wealth is a process which occurs with one
right action at a time.
The Community Has Asked for Help
When SERA, Inc. began holding its
Community Development Summits in
January through April of 2010, much of
what we heard were pleas from local
southeast Raleigh residents (primarily
women) informing us that they wanted to
learn how to save and spend their income
responsibility. As a result, our “Women
and Money” Series was born.
Monthly Sessions Teach Goal Setting
Women through these monthly sessions
were able to learn how to maximize the
income they currently have and learn how
to build wealth within the scope of their
current financial situation in order to
expand their financial viability. We be-
lieve part of enhancing the quality of life
for SER residents is helping those resi-
dents to understand the power of the
“purse” and how each cent earned and
each cent spent can impact an individual
and family for years to come. We now
have a waiting list for SERA women who
are eager and waiting to participate in
these sessions on an ongoing basis. The
sessions will be held monthly.
longitudinal study with attendees over
the course of several years to assess if
better financial decisions were made as
a result of the information and ongoing
support they received from SERA, Inc.,
and if in fact their income/resources are
being leveraged according to what they
have learned in the sessions. Partici-
pants are encouraged to attend all of the
entire series and will be provided with
customized support as they need it.
Program Name Change
SERA, Inc. has decided to change the
name “Women and Money” to
“Family and Money” after woman
began asking if their husbands and
partners could attend. Men were
also inquiring if they could partici-
pate. Both men and children began
attending; consequently, we have
now open this program to all family
members interested in participating.
President/CEO Rita Anita Linger with SERA, Inc. Volunteer Ajuba Joy
Southeast Raleigh Assembly, Inc.
19 West Hargett Street
Suite 200
Phone: 919-747-8423
Email: [email protected]
SERA, Inc. Programs
Business/Equity Programming
Civic Engagement Programming/Public Policy
Community Empowerment Programming
Health & Wellbeing Programming
Youth leadership programming
actualize the goals and objectives we set. Getting everyone to join together from the unemployed, those entrenched in poverty, middle class residents, community organizations such as institutions of higher learning, k-12 educational institutions, the medical community, other non-profits, and for profit businesses both large and small, to put their nose to the grind stone is the only way we can affect change. Don’t be afraid of change, be part of it! With our focus on community organizing
Welcome to SERA Inc.’s newsletter. Our newsletter will provide you with valuable information about Southeast Raleigh Assembly, our programs, partners, mission and values as well as how you can join us as we commit to the change necessary to enhance the quality of lives for Southeast Raleigh citizens. SERA, Inc. cannot and will not be successful if our communities do not provide us with not only articulated goals and desires, but the commitment and person power to
and community engage-ment, we can accomplish all of the goals set before us and we will.
L E T T E R F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T / C E O
WWW.SOUTHEASTRALEIGH.ORG
On Oct. 11th, AARP honored five outstanding organizations that have demonstrated excellence in working in North Carolina with diverse communities at an awards ceremony. SERA, Inc. was a recipient of one of these awards for Innovative Multicultural Outreach. SERA, Inc.
thanks AARP NC which works and supports initiatives from advocacy to retirement planning. “AARP has been busy with new programs and initiatives for African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian communities around the country to show that real
change happens when we work as one. Collectively, we can create positive social change. We will recognize organizations that have demonstrated the power of our combined interest, energy and com-mitment to helping make life better for all,” Tyler Horton
SERA, Inc. Board Members
John Reaves, and Vivian McCoy
attending AARP Multi-Cultural Award
SERA, Inc. President/CEO Rita Anita Linger
SERA, Inc. staff members: David Brown, Rita Anita Linger, Karl Brustmeyer, Angela Jackson-Mann
S E R A , I N C 2 0 1 2 I N N O V A T I V E
M U L T I C U L T U R A L O U T R E A C H
A W A R D S R E C I P I E N T
Editors: Angela Jackson-Mann & Rita Anita Linger
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