We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jerrica Thurston . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jerrica below.
Jerrica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.
My organization, Slope Cares, serves an underserved community, and I am excited to share my story on how and why doing so matters deeply to me.
As a mother of two children with disabilities, I quickly realized how underserved families like mine were. This realization fueled my determination to cultivate change by creating a community, launching a website, and embarking on a journey to advocate for systematic changes.
I knew I wanted to serve this underserved community when I received my children’s autism diagnosis in 2022 after moving to Colorado. I felt lost and didn’t know what my next steps should be. I was determined to find fellow parents facing similar challenges, and I recognized the need for a community closer to home where our shared experiences could be understood. This led me to create private groups on social media, providing a valuable space for caregivers, parents, and community partners. A key realization early on was that organizations and healthcare providers serving this underserved community were unaware of one another. Also, many parents and caregivers were uninformed of the resources and support that their families were eligible for.
In February 2024, I launched Slope Cares, an online resource hub for parents and caregivers of neurodivergent children. This hub allows others to learn and share available resources in our area. I knew how overwhelming it was to visit website after website, so I was very mindful to ensure my visitors could navigate the website more easily. I also structured the website as a step-by-step guide, the kind I wished we had at the beginning of my family’s journey. Since then, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the spectrum of other disabilities that children have, so I am working towards Slope Cares being a benefit for more families whose children have disabilities different from my own.
Through my involvement with Slope Care’s support groups, I recognized the need to advocate on a broader scale to effectively support my community, especially as many of these challenges are still a reality for my family. Over the past six months, I have been deeply committed to understanding the legislative process, focusing on federal and state education laws, while seeking mentorship to enhance my advocacy skills. I actively pursue opportunities to serve on committees and boards to represent my community’s voice.
Recently, I participated in a training hosted by the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, where I learned the intricacies of advocating for change within the legislative process. I was particularly excited to discover that once bills are passed, the regulations, or “rules,” within those laws are designed to ensure they fulfill their intended purpose. The process requires the state to engage in outreach, by law, to the targeted demographic, known as “stakeholders,” to gather their insights. This stage, commonly called “public comment,” is crucial because those responsible for finalizing the regulations cannot fully understand all important factors without hearing the personal stories and perspectives of those directly affected.
To ensure our community members know these public comment opportunities, I established a dedicated group to empower those affected by these policies. Our mission is to educate and encourage them to share their personal experiences, enabling them to drive meaningful change and advocate for themselves when these opportunities arise.
I am confident in advocating for the changes our families need because we reside in Colorado. Did you know Colorado has implemented more state waivers to support individuals with disabilities than any other state nationwide? Colorado’s children’s waivers are unique in that they have no waitlist, unlike other states where children may wait years before accessing the support they need to thrive. While no state is perfect, I believe that by working together and sharing our challenges, we can influence state policies to better serve our community here in Colorado.
For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc, what type of products/services/creative works you provide, what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.
What services does my organization provide, and what sets me apart from others?
Slope Cares offers comprehensive support services tailored to children with a broad spectrum of disabilities. We understand that each child’s needs are unique, so we focus on providing the right resources and individualized support. Our commitment goes beyond essential assistance; we are deeply invested in understanding the education system and the federal laws that govern it to ensure that every child’s needs are met. To this end, we provide advocacy support to families during school meetings, ensuring their voices are heard and their children receive the necessary accommodations. Additionally, we recognize the importance of empowering parents by educating them on how to advocate for their children effectively during these meetings. We are passionate about creating opportunities for community engagement both online and in person, empowering stakeholders to use their personal stories to influence state-level policy changes.
Three key aspects set me apart in my work:
Advocacy Approach: My advocacy is grounded in a proactive, rather than reactive, mindset. I believe it’s possible to be assertive and compassionate—to advocate with love and grace. While many in the mental health field emphasize the importance of leading positively, I focus on balancing directness with empathy. This approach allows for constructive, meaningful dialogue that fosters real change.
Holistic Services: I’ve often been asked why I don’t work under another organization, and my answer is simple: no single organization addresses the full spectrum of needs that families like mine face. Most organizations focus on a specific niche, whether healthcare, education, advocacy, or support for either children or adults. While specialization has its merits, it can also create gaps in service that leave complex needs unmet. Slope Cares is designed to fill those gaps by offering a broader scope of services that can adapt to the unique challenges families face with diverse needs.
Leadership Style: What excites me most is my approach to leadership. With years of experience in leadership and management roles, I’ve developed a deep conviction to lead differently—specifically in fostering organizational health. Many challenges families face stem from organizations lacking the proper systems to ensure quality service and suffering from high employee turnover, which hinders effectiveness. I believe that an organization is only as strong as the systems it has in place. Therefore, establishing robust systems before launching any venture is crucial. I also value a growth mindset and understand the importance of regular feedback and system evaluation to maintain effectiveness. Equally important is valuing the people on your team. I strive to create an environment where team members feel appreciated, have opportunities to share ideas, and have the autonomy to experiment—even to fail—because this fosters respect and investment in the organization’s success. I am passionate about building others up and helping them realize their potential.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My current situation as a parent of an autistic son navigating the education system is a clear testament to my resilience.
For the past two years, right after spring break, I’ve had to homebound educate my son. This decision was tough because contrary to common misconceptions about autism—now recognized as a spectrum—my son is social and thrives around others. Since moving to Colorado three years ago, he has attended three different schools, each time because we felt unsupported and unheard in our advocacy for his needs. As a result, my son has been battling depression.
Despite these challenges, I’m optimistic about the upcoming fall. My son has been accepted through the lottery system to a charter school with a Waldorf curriculum and mindset. The structure of traditional education systems within classrooms is not designed for neurodivergent students. One of my goals is to network and find connections to propose solutions that can positively impact all classrooms. Achieving this will require a paradigm shift in how the education system addresses emotional health and emotional intelligence and their profound impact on children and adults.
I’ve had numerous conversations with mental health therapists who work with youth and have received parent training on trauma-informed applied behavior practices. Many people rely on data to support their points, and I believe that many of my ideas, grounded in scientific research, can be effective and emotionally healthy for children.
If allowed to share my thoughts and solutions, I believe they could equip educators with various tools to support neurotypical and neurodivergent students. This would likely reduce educator burnout, decrease the number of faculty members losing their jobs due to frustrated parents withdrawing their children, and possibly lessen the reliance on specialized systems for support that should be provided in the classroom.
When children’s emotional needs are met alongside their academic goals, it boosts their self-confidence. It instills a belief that they can achieve anything their heart desires—though perhaps not everyone is destined for the NFL or NBA, if you know what I mean.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
When I was around twelve years old, I began experiencing depression. I didn’t understand why I felt such low self-worth and never shared my feelings with anyone. Even now, I wonder how different things might have been if I had grown up in a society more open about personal struggles. Perhaps I would have recognized that what I was experiencing was depression and realized I wasn’t alone.
As I grew older, I internalized the societal narrative that equates strength with self-reliance and the ability to handle life’s hardships independently. But at twenty-four, I had the opportunity to unlearn this false narrative. My faith journey taught me that we are meant to help carry each other’s burdens, offer daily encouragement, and love and serve others without judgment. Sadly, I acknowledge that this isn’t always the reality today.
I want to offer a heartfelt apology to anyone who has had negative experiences with those who claim to share the same faith but fail to lead by example.
I believe the emphasis on self-reliance without seeking help significantly contributes to many people’s isolation when facing life’s challenges. This isolation often leads to struggles with depression, enduring emotional or physical abuse, and a lack of resources or fear of being shamed.
Imagine how beautiful the world could be, even in the face of obstacles and hardships, if we knew we had a supportive community to lean on during our weakest moments.
If you feel inspired by Slope Cares’ mission and vision, I invite you to visit my website and consider helping me launch Slope Cares as a non-profit dedicated to serving this underserved community. As a mother of two children, I want to make the world better for them and other caregivers. Together, we can build a more compassionate and supportive community. Please visit www.slopecare.com/donate to learn more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slopecares.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slopecares
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrica-thurston/
- Other: https://givebutter.com/slopecares
Image Credits
Jerrica Thurston Photography