St. Stephen’s welcomes the public to our Austin campus to be inspired by
Reverend Becca Stevens, the inaugural keynote
speaker for the Dr. Ralph G. and Virginia Gallaher Maurer ’64 Endowment for the Advancement of Christian Ethics. Becca is an Episcopal priest, author and social entrepreneur who has dedicated her life to fostering holistic healing for women survivors of human trafficking, addiction, prostitution and exploitation. She was chosen as one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes in 2016 for her work providing shelter, community, recovery and employment to survivors through her nonprofit
Thistle Farms - a bath and body company selling essential oils and other healing products. “When women are given the freedom to use their gifts, something beautiful happens,” said Stevens.
We also welcome guest speaker Toni McKinley, executive director of
Magdalene House Austin, a survivor-led community for adult women who have survived sex trafficking. The community provides safe and supportive housing, access to healthcare services and counseling, and professional development.
As a school community dedicated to the recovery of humankind, we at St. Stephen’s believe that both Toni and Becca’s experience of bringing hope to communities can inspire us to further engage in our own work of making a difference in the world.