Jan. 22, 2018
Giving back to her community is in Jessica Mooney Holman’s DNA. The former Commodore standout guard and frequent analyst for Vanderbilt women’s basketball television broadcasts has found a higher calling near the Nashville neighborhood where she was raised. Holman serves as senior programs director for Harvest Hands, a faith-based community development non-profit headquartered off Murfreesboro Road in the Napier community of South Nashville. Jessica never forgot her roots and those who helped on her personal journey.
Today, in the second installment of Where Are They Now, we check in with Holman, mother of an infant daughter who mentors young inner-city Nashville kids to reach for their aspirations and dreams.
Talk about growing up in Nashville?
I lived in south Nashville my entire life. I spent my formative years in the 12 South-Belmont area, where I lived with my mother, father, grandmother, and four brothers. You could always find me riding my bike through the sprinklers on Belmont’s campus with my cousin, in a physical game of 1-on-1 with my brother in the backyard, or playing basketball with about six-to-eight neighborhood boys. I moved to the Napier area in high school, though I spent a lot of time in that community growing up. My church at the time, St. Luke, was located there and the majority of my dad’s side of the family also lived in that community.
Were you virtually raised with a ball in your hands from the time you were able to walk?
I found an interest in basketball around the age of three when I saw my cousin, Desirae, dribbling a ball. It seemed like she always had a basketball in her hand, and she was one of my biggest role models! After I asked her to teach me to dribble, I rarely put the ball down. I began playing on a formal team in first grade at my elementary school (St. Vincent de Paul School). I cultivated my basketball skills at Charles Davis’ Basketball camps in the summer, where I was often the only girl and the youngest camper. That’s where I learned to play against bigger, stronger and faster players.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I would always argue with my brothers and win, so I wanted to be a lawyer. Someone told me that I could make money by winning arguments, so that became my goal! Then in high school, I was forced to read so many books that I had no interest in. When I realized life as a lawyer would consist of reading lots of things that I had no desire to read, I quickly changed my mind.
Who were your most important mentors growing up?
Honestly, my parents have always been my biggest mentors. My dad always showed me how hard I would have to work for the things that I wanted. My mom always helped me keep things in perspective and see the bigger picture. They both supported me my entire life and rarely missed any of my activities, unless they had to split up because my brother was also busy. I could talk to them about anything and always count on their wise advice.
Talk about (Nashville resident and former Commodore basketball standout) Charles Davis’ impact on your life.
Oh yes, he’s my cousin. Being in his summer programs and seeing how his organization gave back to the community where he grew up has inspired me to do the same thing. I had so much fun at his camps and saw how many kids and families were impacted by the work that they did. I knew at a young age that I wanted to do the same thing. Both Charles and his wife (Toni) were big inspirations!
How did you land at Vanderbilt as your collegiate home?
I wanted to attend Vanderbilt because it offered the best of both worlds. They were always in the Top 25 in women’s basketball, and it was a top academic school. Those were the things that I valued most and there was the added bonus that my family would be able to watch me play. Had I not received a scholarship offer from Vanderbilt, I would not have been in the state of Tennessee. Once I received the offer, I accepted right away! It was my dream university.
What was the highlight of your Commodore career?
It probably came my freshman year. We beat a star-studded LSU team that was ranked No. 7 in the country, with our star Carla Thomas hobbling on one leg. It was a home game, and we were definitely the underdog. They had Sylvia Fowles, who stands 6-5 and later became the MVP of the WNBA in 2017. Our whole game plan was to stop her from scoring. Carla sprained her ankle the night before and had to stay up all night rehabbing it. It was an amazing night for the team, and a big win for our seniors.
What’s something Vanderbilt fans would be surprised to learn about you?
I shoot basketball and eat left-handed, but I play most other sports right-handed. I dribble best with my right hand, and the craziest thing is that my husband is the same way! He eats left handed but plays all of his sports right handed. I don’t know what that will mean for our children; I think they will all be confused!
Tell us about your work with Harvest Hands. What is its mission and the community it serves?
Harvest Hands is a catalyst for Christ-centered, holistic community development working alongside our neighbors to further education, healthy living, spiritual formation and economic development in South Nashville. That is the organizational mission. We currently reside in the Napier community and the majority of our services target residents of this area. However, we partner with five total communities – Napier/Sudekum, Vine Hill, Wedgewood Houston, Chestnut Hill and Woodbine.
We have after-school programs and sports leagues for young kids that live in those neighborhoods. But one of the most unique and coolest things that we do is that we run a social enterprise called Humphreys Street. We employ high school students in the neighborhood to roast coffee and make homemade soap, and they sell those products online and at different events. We provide hourly wages and all of the proceeds go back into the business and into a college scholarship fund for the students! We’re also going to open a coffee shop this year in the Chestnut Hill community, so be on the lookout for that also! We’ll be able to hire even more teenagers once we open the new shop.
Did you find Harvest Hands, or did Harvest Hands find you?
Fortunately, I found Harvest Hands while I was in graduate school at Vanderbilt. I was working on my Master’s in Community Development & Action, and one of my classmates was doing a presentation on Harvest Hands. After class, she told me about a position that was going to become available that combined both of my passions, education and sports. I started out as the Coordinator of Empower Sports, and I’ve been here for six years. I love my job! My title is now the Senior Director of Programs, and I love working here in the community where I grew up.
Has the concept of giving back or providing service to others always been important to your life?
Giving back has been ingrained in me since I was a little child. It was something that I always knew would be a part of my life. When I was in elementary school, I attended Camp PEACE run by the Charles Davis Foundation. We had college leaders that spent their summers working the camps. I always felt so special that they chose to spend their summers with me! I knew I would do the same thing as soon as I was old enough to work at their camp. It meant so much to have mentors that cared about me and taught me new skills each summer.
What do you see yourself doing in 20 years?
I plan to still be in Nashville with my husband and kids. I would like to spend the majority of my spare time traveling the world with my husband while my kids are in college. If any of my children are playing collegiate sports, I’d love to travel the country and watch him play! You have seen plenty of changes in your hometown.
What do you think of Nashville today?
I love my hometown! I’ve definitely seen it change drastically over the past five years. It doesn’t even look like the city that I grew up in. I love the fact that so many new things are coming into the city. But my heart also goes out to so many of the people that are being displaced by the growth, and can no longer afford to live here.
