The flick of a striker lights a hot blue flame while the roar of blowtorches resonates through the cavernous workshop. Behind protective goggles, women are hard at work in the UrbanGlass flame-working studio, turning colorful rods of glass into beads and transforming creativity into a sustainable business. For nearly 20 years the Bead Project at Urban Glass has provided creatively inclined, economically disadvantaged women with the knowledge and experience to discover a source of income. Over the course of ten weeks, students learn the art of glass bead making, how to design and assemble a jewelry line, and how to develop a business plan to launch their own business. At the end, these women are provided a toolkit to continue production and the opportunity to showcase and sell their work at an in-house Open Studios event.