Daily Inspiration: Meet Michelle Smart

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Smart.

Hi Michelle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Bags to Butterflies-Detroit is a purpose-driven nonprofit on a mission to uplift women returning home from incarceration. We provide transitional employment, vital resources, and a supportive sisterhood that believes in redemption, resilience, and radiant new beginnings.

The women are employed to create handbags made from wood that ha been repurposed from flooring and the backs of cabinets.. We selected this material to demonstrate how something, or someone, deemed as having no value can be transformed into something new and beautiful. Each handbag we craft is one-of-a-kind—just like the women who make them. . Every design reflects a journey of transformation.

This mission began in 2014, when I learned that the daughter of a close family friend was going to prison. That moment broke my heart—and sparked a calling. I knew women coming home needed more than help. They needed hope.

So we built a space where healing happens. Where women can learn, grow, and rediscover their worth. We offer skill-building, housing referrals, financial education—and most importantly, a community that sees their potential.

We call these courageous women our “butterflies.” Because like the butterfly, they emerge from a painful past with beauty, strength, and wings to soar.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I first shared the idea with friends and family, many were skeptical. The concept of supporting formerly incarcerated women through creative employment was unfamiliar.

We began with a focus group of ten women who had served between five and thirty years in prison. We met biweekly at a local church, creating a safe space for dialogue, reflection, and relationship-building. The focus group allowed me to understand the women’s lived experiences, identify barriers to successful reentry, and earn their trust.

Through these conversations, two urgent needs were shared: the women needed housing and employment. We chose to address employment that met women where they were. At the time, our biggest struggle was finding a suitable location near public transportation to open the organization. We were homeless! We eventually landed at a different church where we stayed for a year and later relocated to a larger space in Detroit.

Finding adequate funding is always a struggle.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My roots have been planted in Detroit since I was a young girl. Growing up on Detroit’s Northend neighborhood, I always had a desire to give back to the community in which I lived. I discovered my creative side after going through a divorce. I was invited to take a stained-glass class by the studio’s owner, Brenda. She not only encouraged me, she also took her time and showed me how to use my hands to create beautiful stained-glass and fused art.

In 2007, I was commissioned by the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to design the 2007 Legacy Awards and was the first African American to have such an honor. The prestigious awards were present to 14 local individuals and businesses including Chrysler LLC, Kellogg and Comerica Bank. My professional career spanned over 20 years in Corporate Communications at Ford Motor Company.

What sets me apart is I believe my purpose is to help women channel their life experiences (good or bad) into an artistic passion that will catapult them toward their greatness similar to what Brenda did for me. .

What makes you happy?
I am most happy when I am creating in my home studio. Why? Because for me, there is no right or wrong in creating art.

Pricing:

• Handbags Range $145
• Cross Body – $135
• Pendants: $95
• Cocoon Collection – $175
• Bow Ties – $75

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bagstobutterflies.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bagstobutterflies
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bagstobutterflies