“I’VE COME A LONG WAY to where I am today — public speaking doesn’t come naturally to me,” says Liz Huerta-Brewster, paraprofessional and president of Redlands Education Support Professionals Association (RESPA). “You can’t be quiet when you’re a leader in the union.”

Huerta-Brewster is the 2025 Paula J. Monroe Education Support Professional of the Year — a particularly meaningful honor since RESPA was Monroe’s local association. She says she never imagined winning the award.

“I’m honored to follow in Paula Monroe’s footsteps,” Huerta-Brewster says. “Our local is where the ESP of the Year Award started with Paula and bringing it back to RESPA means a lot.”

Known as “Miss Liz” to her elementary students, Huerta-Brewster enjoys supporting students and building unique relationships with them.

“There’s a bond you have with students as an ESP that is different than with teachers — we have different duties and responsibilities and interactions with the students,” she says.

“Our union works to make sure ESPs are included at the table in so many different committees. No matter how you look at it, we’re all the same and experiencing the same things.” —CTA ESP of the Year Liz Huerta-Brewster

As the president of 700-plus-member RESPA, Huerta-Brewster says she is dedicated to supporting her co-workers and building power to win better for their students and communities. She’s grateful for the opportunity to lift her voice and share the perspective of ESPs on important issues facing our union. RESPA is the only ESP local in the San Gorgonio Service Center Council and Huerta-Brewster says it’s important to be at the table to share different perspectives.

“I feel empowered to be in a room with so many educators. I’m part of our big union and I have a seat at the table,” she says. “That’s what I share with the members of my local — our union listens to us. Our union works to make sure ESPs are included at the table in so many different committees. No matter how you look at it, we’re all the same and experiencing the same things.”

Huerta-Brewster first got involved in her local when an officer in the union asked her to be a site representative. From there, she became more active, serving on Representative Council, as a State Council Rep and now as RESPA president. Huerta-Brewster tells all of her ESP colleagues to get active in the union.

“We need you to be involved. There’s always something for you to do,” she says. “There’s so much more to the union than just paying dues.”

In the continued fight for public education and against extremists who are undermining our public schools on our local school boards and in Washington, D.C., Huerta-Brewster says there is power in our union. RESPA members have been working together to fight anti-union school board members and their destructive policies in Redlands. Our solidarity is our greatest weapon,” she says.

“We need to be united. We need to all show unity, from leadership to all our members,” the ESP of the Year says. “Sharing our stories with each other and building together, that’s what’s important. Don’t give up — we have to stand firm with what’s going on in our country.”

She urges ESPs to lift each other up and support one another during these chaotic times and remember that our union makes us strong.

“Work together, stand firm in what you believe in, don’t give up and keep fighting,” she says.

Photo caption: Liz Huerta-Brewster, honored at CTA State Council
in April, is second from left. Left to right: CTA Vice President Leslie Littman, CTA Secretary-Treasurer Erika Jones, CTA Executive Director Jeff Good, CTA President David Goldberg.