Becca Stevens (priest) explained

The Rev. Becca Stevens is an author, speaker, Episcopal priest, social entrepreneur, founder and president of Thistle Farms in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] She is notable for founding Magdalene in 1997, now called Thistle Farms, to heal, empower, and employ female survivors of human trafficking, prostitution, and addiction.[2] She was the 2000 Nashvillian of the Year and in 2013 was inducted into the Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame.[3]

Biography

Becca Stevens was born on April 1, 1963, in Connecticut to Anne and the Rev. Gladston Hudson Stevens, Jr. When she was four years old, her family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, and a year later, her father was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. After completing her secondary education at John Overton High School, Stevens enrolled in her father's alma mater, The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, studying math. When she graduated, she completed an internship at Bread for the World and led the Kanuga Conference Center's youth program near Hendersonville, North Carolina, before returning to Nashville in 1987. Stevens enrolled in Vanderbilt Divinity School, where she met her future husband Marcus Hummon, whom she married in 1988. During her schooling, she volunteered in projects to help homeless women and those dealing with addiction.

Stevens was ordained in June 1991 and gave birth to her first child the following month.[4] After her ordination, Stevens began working at the Church of the Resurrection in Franklin, Tennessee, continuing her work with those in need. When in 1995, the chaplain of St. Augustine’s Chapel at Vanderbilt retired, Stevens accepted the post. She founded Magdalene in 1997,[5] a two-year residential program for former prostitutes overcoming addiction and wanting to restart their lives.[6] In 2001, she started Thistle Farms, which employs the same group of women to make home and body products sold in stores like Whole Foods and on thistlefarms.org.[2] In 2013, Thistle Farms opened a café, employing survivors of prostitution, trafficking, and addiction as baristas.[2]

She has written several books, including nine published by Abingdon Press.[7] Her 2013 memoir, Snake Oil: The Art of Healing and Truth-Telling, "details her own sexual abuse and healing and how her ministry has led to the founding of Thistle Farms,"[8] and was reported by The Tennessean as an area bestseller.[9] She has received many local awards as well as being designated a White House Champion of Change in 2011. In 2016, Becca was named a CNN Top Hero of the Year for her work with Thistle Farms and Magdalene.

Books

Awards

Personal life

She is married to Grammy-winning country music artist Marcus Hummon, and has three children.[18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Becca Stevens. St. Augustine's Chapel at Vanderbilt. 2014-06-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006043812/http://www.staugustineschapel.org/becca-stevens/. 2014-10-06. dead.
  2. News: From the Streets to the 'World's Best Mom'. 2013-10-13. The New York Times. Nicholas. Kristof.
  3. “The Art and Craft of Storytelling.” The Moth, The Moth, themoth.org/storytellers/becca-stevens.
  4. News: West. Kay. 2000 Nashvillian of the Year Becca Stevens, executive director of the Magdalene project. 1 January 2016. Nashville Scene. December 21, 2000. Nashville, Tennessee.
  5. News: Self-worth rises for women of Magdalene House. The Tennessean. 2011-11-24. Gail. Kerr.
  6. News: Former drug addict, prostitute finds rebirth of her own. The Tennessean. Hall. Heidi. April 22, 2014.
  7. Web site: Abingdon Press. Authors: Becca Stevens. 2014-06-19.
  8. News: Books: For Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest, age-old remedies hold secret to healing. Nashville City Paper. Liz. Garrigan. 2013-03-11. 2014-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20130720052658/http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/lifestyles/books-becca-stevens-episcopal-priest-age-old-remedies-hold-secret-healing. 2013-07-20. dead.
  9. News: BookManBookWoman best-sellers. The Tennessean. 2014-03-23.
  10. News: 2000 Nashvillian of the Year: Becca Stevens, executive director of the Magdalene project. Nashville Scene. 2000-12-21. Kay. West.
  11. News: The Tennessean. 2005-12-25. A23. Tennesseans of the Year.
  12. The Vanderbilt University 2006 Financial Report. Vanderbilt University. 2006. The Tennessean names Chancellor Gordon Gee and Reverend. Becca Stevens as 'Tennesseans of the Year.'. 12. 2014-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20130909131312/https://finance.vanderbilt.edu/report/2006%20Financial%20Report.pdf. 2013-09-09. dead.
  13. News: Nashville chamber honors NEXT winners. The Tennessean. Randy. McClain. 2011-10-19.
  14. Nashville Area Chamber, Entrepreneur Center announce NEXT Award winners. 2011-10-19. Lindsay. Chambers. Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. 2014-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129113552/http://www.nashvillechamber.com/homepage/newsevents/pressreleases/11-10-19/Nashville_Area_Chamber_Entrepreneur_Center_announce_NEXT_Award_winners.aspx. 2014-11-29. dead.
  15. News: Rev. Becca Stevens of Magdalene and Thistle Farms Named a 'Champion of Change' by the White House. Steve. Haruch. 2011-10-17.
  16. Web site: Becca Stevens. https://web.archive.org/web/20111224173000/http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/working-end-domestic-violence/becca-stevens. dead. 2011-12-24. Whitehouse.gov. Champions of Change. 2014-06-19.
  17. Web site: Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2016. CNN. 29 November 2016 . 2017-12-13.
  18. News: Mom's compassion lives on. 2007-01-13. Tennessean. Tim. Ghianni.

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