adobe illustrator - Clipping Mask, Pathfinder or Compound Path?

I'm sorry for such a generic title, but I couldn't figure out a title that would make sense with what I am trying to do.

So I am a novice when it comes to illustrator, but I am trying to cut out the middle portion of my logo. The white rectangle is what I am trying to remove from various layers of my logo, the pink is just a generic background (image 1)

I've tried all that I can think of, but the best I can do is get the middle of the "s" cut out (using exclude on pathfinder, image 2), but my colors get all messed up.