Steventhen Holland, a national pro-life speaker, was the featured presenter at the Greater Columbus Right to Life annual banquet on Monday, June 10. 

Steventhen grew up in a small Southern community in the 1980s, but it was not until he was eight years old that he realized he was different. One of his classmates pointed out that he was the “wrong” color and didn’t belong. 

As he thought about it, he realized that he was different from his family. His skin color was different. His build was different. Even his name was very different.

So he asked his mother and she shared with him that their family had adopted him from foster care when he was just seven days old. At the time, he was frail and sickly, and social workers asked the Holland family if they would take him in knowing he likely would not live. 

It was 20 years later after losing his second child to miscarriage -- when he began looking for medical history and information about his biological family -- that Holland would learn he had been conceived in the gang rape of an 18-year-old mentally disadvantaged young woman.

When she and her caretakers learned she was pregnant, they told her that she must have an abortion. His mother, Glenda, only functioned at the level of an 11-year-old but knew that she loved her child fiercely and must protect him.

With no other help accessible, she ran away from the group home and made her way several hours north. 

She was very pregnant and living in some boxes behind a local grocery store when a young man found her. The 16-year-old scooped her up, took her to his family’s home and asked, “Can we keep her?” Shortly after that, she went into labor and gave birth to Steventhen. 

Steventhen shared with the audience at the banquet not only the courage of his mother in protecting his life but also the day that they met and stories of the precious time they spent together. 

Greater Columbus Right to Life (GCRTL) executive director Beth Vanderkooi shared that the organization had invited Steventhen to speak because “in the wake of the disastrous effects of last November’s Issue 1 adoption, we need more than ever to hear the stories of regular people choosing heroic virtue and we need to change the culture to stand up for life and protect and support those who choose it.” 

Vanderkooi also noted that the banquet, her 12th with the organization, would be her last as executive director. GCRTL is searching for a new full-time executive director to replace Vanderkooi, who will transition into the role of president.

As president, Vanderkooi will provide guidance on strategy, mission and public policy while mentoring the incoming leadership.

“This is a wonderful time to grow the organization in a way that is fiscally responsible and allow me to focus on some exciting projects while also mentoring and training the next generation of pro-life leaders,” she explained. 

To learn more about the position of executive director, visit gcrtl.org/about-us. To support Greater Columbus Right to Life’s work, send donations to 4900 Reed Rd, Suite 200; Columbus, OH 43220 or give securely online at gcrtl.org/donate.