LOCAL VOICES

“When every local is strong, our entire union is strong.”

Listening Before Leading

When I first stepped into the role of President of the Corona-Norco Teachers Association (CNTA), the largest local in CTA’s District M, our union was in crisis. We weren’t just losing members; we were losing connection.

Our local had more membership drops than all other locals in the state combined. We were politically divided, uncertain, and exhausted. My first priority wasn’t a new campaign, a new slogan, or a new strategy. It was listening. If we were going to stop the bleeding, I needed to understand why members were leaving, and what mattered most to those still standing with us.

Conversations That Changed Everything

So I started having one-on-one conversations. Hundreds of them. I talked with educators in classrooms, parking lots, and break rooms. I listened to their frustrations, their hopes, and their dreams for their students. After teaching in our district for 24 years, I thought I already knew what our members cared about, but those conversations made it crystal clear: our members were united by their unwavering commitment to students.

That shared value became our starting point for healing.

Finding Leaders in Every School

As I listened, I also looked for leaders — those educators whose passion inspires others, who step up when it matters most, who others naturally follow. We invited them to lead. We built structures that empowered them to take action. We reminded our members that they are the union — not just a few officers or committee chairs, but every single educator who shows up for one another.

In that first year, our local began to transform. Not because of any one person, but because local voices were heard.

Why Local Voices Matter

That experience reaffirmed what I believe at my core: real union power starts locally.

When we listen deeply to members, when we trust their wisdom, elevate their voices, and invest in their leadership, we build something unstoppable.

That’s what “Local Voices, Statewide Strength” means to me. Because when every local is strong, our entire union is strong.

Join the Movement

If you believe that the future of CTA depends on empowering local voices, let’s build that strength together.

Follow my campaign for District M Director and share your story about what makes your local strong. Together, we can make every voice count — and every local powerful.