Empower a Refugee: Peace of Thread and the Backyard Humanity Movement

Empower a Refugee by Patricia Martin Holt reveals the extraordinary story of how simple acts of kindness-and the power of handmade craftsmanship-can help transform the lives of displaced women rebuilding their futures in America.

Across the U.S., refugees from the Middle East and Asia arrive seeking safety from famine, war, and violence. Yet many find themselves isolated, grieving, and uncertain of their place in their new communities. Empower a Refugee asks the urgent question: How can hope take root again?

Patricia Martin Holt answers by shining a light on Peace of Thread, a nonprofit founded by Denise Smith, an Evangelical Christian who made her home in Clarkston, an Atlanta suburb known as one of the most diverse square miles in the nation. After living in Lebanon for six years and learning Arabic, Smith used her language skills-and a compassionate heart-to connect with refugee women longing for purpose, confidence, and stability.

What she discovered was a shared thread: many of these women carried remarkable sewing and fabric artistry from their home countries. Together, they built Peace of Thread, where handcrafted bags and accessories are created and sold on Etsy and in specialty boutiques. Through their work, these women not only earn income but also reclaim dignity, community, and a sense of belonging.

Holt vividly captures how ordinary Americans can rise above national climates of fear and division to take meaningful action. Empower a Refugee celebrates the courage of women rebuilding their lives stitch by stitch-and reminds us that fostering peace can begin right where we live, with open hands and open he

Patricia Martin Holt was named a Georgia Author of the Year and awarded an Independent Publishers Association Bronze Medal for her first book, Committee of One, an account of a fabric project in Amman Jordan involving Palestinian refugees.In Jordan, Holt got to know refugees and saw how they could blossom in the right conditions. Later, after moving to a Georgia suburb, Holt was drawn to the community of Clarkston, a local hub of refugee resettlement. In Empower a Refugee, we hear the voices of refugee women in Clarkston and learn about Denise Smith, a woman whose faith compels her to help these women gain vital income and self-esteem by sewing and selling one-of-a-kind handbags.