The Way of Tea and Justice

Tea is the world’s most popular beverage. The comforting drink that millions of us reach for daily has a rich and complex history and is accompanied by ancient rituals in many cultures. Yet there are disturbing truths to be faced about our morning cuppa. Tracing the tea routes leads to stories of exploitation, oppression, trafficking and impoverished tea labourers. Becca Stevens started the Thistle Stop Café to empower women recovering from prostitution and addiction. But when she discovered a connection between café workers and tea labourers overseas, she embarked on a global mission called "Shared Trade" to bring freedom and fair wages to women survivors and producers across the globe. As she recounts the victories and unexpected challenges of building the café, Becca also sweeps the reader into the world of tea, where timeless rituals transport to an era of beauty and the challenging truths about tea's darker, more violent history. She offers moving reflections of the meaning of tea in our lives, plus recipes for tea blends that readers can make themselves. In this journey of triumph for impoverished tea labourers, hope for café workers, and insight into the history of tea, Becca sets out to defy the odds and prove that love is the most powerful force for transformation on earth.