My name is Angela Costa Simoes, and I’m a third-generation Portuguese American who has been deeply involved in the Portuguese community—both in California and across the country—for most of my life. Over the years, I’ve been passionate about preserving and celebrating our culture, and now, as a mother, I’ve become even more committed to passing that heritage on to the next generation.

This campaign is to help fund the production of my upcoming bilingual children’s book, Miracle of the Roses, the Story of Queen St. Isabel. This beautifully illustrated book will be part of the Riso Books Heritage | Herança collection—a series designed to help children (and even parents!) begin learning Portuguese early on while discovering the powerful legends and traditions of our shared past.

The idea for this series was born out of my own frustration with not being able to fully understand children's books that were only in Portuguese. I wanted to create something accessible, meaningful, and culturally rich for families like mine.

Miracle of the Roses tells the story of Queen St. Isabel of Portugal—a symbol of compassion, faith, and love whose legacy lives on through traditions like the Festas do Espírito Santo. With your support, I’ll be able to bring this story to life in a way that honors our heritage and keeps it alive for generations to come.

Every donor will receive a hard back copy of the book once it's published.

Thank you for being part of this journey. ❤️