About

ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 008 Heartism of the Bitterroot My guest today is a pillar in her community, starting an inclusive community center called Heartism Community Center, offering kids of any ability free cooking classes, art classes, yoga classes and more.  Jessica Fitzpatrick is the Founder and Director of Heartism Community Center and Bitterroot Arts for Autism, a Seattle non-profit serving special needs children and families. Her background is Therapeutics in Recreation and Psychology with a Bachelor of Science and a passion for understanding the world in a new way as an autism advocate/activist. Jessica’s daughter, Sequoia, launched Jessica’s journey into the depths of autism and sensory processing.  I'm so grateful to have met Jessica. She is a very special person with a gentle, captivating energy that vibrates warmly around you. She's one of the first autism moms that I've chatted with for the podcast, but it's interesting that these moms have a lot in common. They're calming and soothing to be around and talk to and they inspire me. I feel so lucky to have parents like this on my team. CONNECT WITH JESSICA Heartism Community Center, Bitterroot Arts for Autism Facebook Page Heartism Community Center Address: 1120 Main Street, Corvallis, Montana 59828 Phone: (406) 210-2937 Email: bitterrootartsforautism@gmail.com LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Jessica Fitzpatrick: Autism and Community Inclusion TED Talk The PLAY Project Autism Intervention Program TUNE INTO THE ONCE UPON A GENE PODCAST Spotify Apple Podcasts Stitcher Overcast CONNECT WITH EFFIE PARKS Website Twitter Instagram