In 1988, the Hudson started Just Us Books, Inc. With Wade serving as company president and head of marketing, and Cheryl leading the editorial and art departments, Just Us Books, Inc. soon became a leading publisher of multicultural books for children, opening doors of opportunities for many authors and illustrators of color along the way. 

The Hudsons’ trailblazing efforts and contributions to children’s literature and book publishing have been recognized widely.  They have received the Ida B. Wells Institutional Builders Award presented by the National Black Writers Conference, the Madame CJ Walker Legacy Award for entrepreneurship given by the Hurston Wright Foundation and the "Small Business Pioneer of the Year" distinction from Income Opportunities magazine, among others. The books they have published have enabled children of color to see characters who look like themselves in the books they read and to explore stories that relate to their own experiences.