It's been three years since Jerica Phillips and I first chatted about sisterhood and balancing motherhood. Now a Verbally Effective alum, Jerica gets a chance to finally open up about the price of popularity and what's next in her career. We discuss mental health, substance abuse, single parenting, new beginnings, special needs advocacy, Serena Williams legacy, and more.

A Memphis native and legacy SCS graduate, Jerica earned a Communications and Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Her accomplishments have catapulted her to a position of trust and admiration. Throughout her career, she has unapologetically advocated for educational equity and access. From becoming a recognizable and credible face in local news to serving as a parent-advocate on the Board of Directors for the Down Syndrome Association of Memphis, to graduating with the 2021 Executive Class of Leadership Memphis and being honored as Top 40 Under 40 Urban Elite Professionals, she has embraced her ability to authentically engage people and uniquely influence stories.