Nice to Meet You!
Did you know that the In and Out-of-School Time field has some of the greatest working professionals that ‘Inspire Youth, Inspire Learning, and Inspire Change’ year-round? TEAMBOOST proudly features BOOST Partners, Ambassadors, and Leadership Team members in the GTKY (Getting to Know You) collaborative blog series! Today, let’s Get To Know BOOST Leadership Team Member, Serjio Acevedo (He/Him/El).
Thank you, Serjio, for your meaningful contributions to the BOOST community! We appreciate you!
Get to Know BOOST Leadership Team Member Serjio Acevedo (He/Him/El)
Serjio is a BOOST Volunteer in Los Angeles, CA.
What is one thing that motivates you? Share your inspiration.
I am motivated to be a bridge builder between diverse peoples within our Out-of-School Time (OST) profession as well as between the diverse communities we serve. With a 25+ year career in higher education, I bring my Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and youth and employee engagement talents to our OST profession.
Do you have any pets? If so, tell us about them!
I am a cat dad of three rescued cats, namely Masha (She/Her), Bruno (He/Him), and Greg (They/Them). My partner adopted Masha when she was pregnant with five kitties. My partner kept 2 kitties, Bruno and Greg, and our extended family welcomed the other 3 kitties. We happily live in DTLA where street noise and foot traffic keep our cats on their paws.
What go-to song would you sing at Karaoke night?
My go-to karaoke song is “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash. I always bring CA$H to karaoke!
Share any unique hobbies or talents.
In my free time, I enjoy Latine/x/a/o dancing (My hips don’t lie), Chicago professional sports teams (Da Bears, Da Bulls, Da Sox), and hosteling in cities across the globe (Lifetime Member of Hosteling International since 2016).
Favorite animal noise? 
Cucurucucu’ as sung by doves (palomas) – check out Pedro Infante’s rendition
What is your most treasured book to read?
My most treasured book is The Prophet by Kahlil Jibran because its most prominent universal theme is its persistent faith in love in its relationship to life and to most human activities. On Joy and Sorrow, “The more sorrow carves into our being, the more joy we can contain.” Currently, I am reading The PD Book: 7 Habits that transform Professional Development (PD) by Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen. Let’s facilitate a PD P.A.R.T.Y., meaning Purpose, Audience, Routines, Techniques, and You.
Share an inspirational quote that resonates with you.
“We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you could be any person for a day, who would you be and why?
I would be Anthony Bourdain for a day. “Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride!”
What advice would you give your teenage self?
“Surround yourself with people, places, and things that make you feel safe, lucky, and successful. You are the director of your life story, so live it the way you’d want to see it on the big screen.” —Carrie McEachran
If you really knew me you would know that…
I drove across our continental USA five times so far. “Get your kicks on Route 66!” —Depeche Mode Rendition #BehindTheWheel
Today for breakfast I had…
For gut health, sauerkraut, scrambled eggs, cauliflower, mushrooms, pico de gallo, steel cut oat with strawberry, banana, plant-based protein powder, chia seeds, flax seed, and walnuts with Ginger-Turmeric Tea.
From all of us here at TEAMBOOST, thank you, Serjio, for sharing your leadership with us. You are a wonderful partner and a shining light for youth!