Meet Nakiea Smith of Butterfly 21

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nakiea Smith.

Nakiea, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I thought I wanted to be in the medical field. However, once I entered high school and started taking the necessary courses to enter the medical field, my interest dissipated. After taking economics, I knew that going to college for business would be the right step for me. I recall my A.P. Literature teacher pulling me to the side and asking me what I planned on majoring in once I started college. I told her business, and she said, “You should consider English”. I thought to myself, “What am I going to do with an English degree”? Long story short, I went to college and majored in business. After being in college, I changed my major to English after having a one-on-one with one of my English Professors. How does all of this tie into what I do today?

I am currently a graduate student pursuing a degree in Liberal Arts, with a concentration in English at Clayton State University. I am the co-author of a book entitled “Girl Power Uncensored”. Most of my work experience stems from the nonprofit and college/university settings. I have also studied abroad and been on several mission trips to places such as Brazil, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, France, and Colombia. Working in the non-profit sector sparked my interest in starting my own non-profit called Butterfly 21. Butterfly 21 helps underprivileged women with chronic illness get the support they need when the healthcare system fails them.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road for me. I am originally from Birmingham, AL and I moved to Jonesboro, Georgia in middle school. After high school, I attended Savannah State University, because that was the only school that would accept me. Being a first-generation college student came with pitfalls. I didn’t prepare for the ACT or SAT tests; I didn’t know about scholarships or grants. Being away from home meant that I had to figure everything out on my own. Fast forward to my last year in college, I experienced a life-altering event. I talk a little bit about my journey in the book “Girl Power Uncensored”. “Girl Power Uncensored” is a compilation of stories told by women. My chapter title is “A Quiet Storm”, it explains two hardships I dealt with in undergrad, my chronic illness and a toxic relationship. Learning about and dealing with my chronic illness is what birthed Butterfly 21 Inc.

Please tell us about Butterfly 21 Inc.
Butterfly 21 Inc. is an organization that helps young girls and women between the ages of 14-21 years old. It was founded on February 1, 2019. At Butterfly 21 Inc., our mission is to provide health resources, funding, life skills and work with partners to ensure the lively hood of the women we serve. In the future, our young women will also gain tangible experience and skills that will be transferable to any college or career. They will be exposed to entrepreneurial, technological, financial, and life skills.

What sets us apart is we would like to partner with healthcare professionals and other businesses that align with our mission to provide health resources, coping mechanisms, and life skills to the girls we serve. Most importantly, we will provide funding to our girls to help with their medical needs. Many non-profits that specialize in illnesses only focus on research, but we want to focus on the individual.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have many great memories from childhood; however, the one memory that sticks out to me the most is writing my first short story. Writing is a gift that was given to me at an early age. In my 7th grade literature class, we were tasked with writing a fictional story. I wrote about a young boy who lived in New York, and on his way home from school, he learned that his parents died in a house fire. He ran away out of fear of getting trapped into the foster care system and became homeless. I do not know what compelled me to write this story, but I was committed. Unfortunately, I lost the story after moving to Georgia, but I think about re-writing it every day.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2045 Mt. Zion Rd. #322 Morrow, GA 30260, USA
• Website: https://www.butterfly21.org
• Phone: 404-491-0668
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterfly21inc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/butterfly21inc/

Image Credit:
Belle Rouge Photography: RaQuita Weathers

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