Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Bretas.
Angela, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m a Brazilian immigrant who came to the USA over three decades ago with lots of dreams and a willingness to learn all that I could.
Like any new immigrant on a new land I encounter many obstacles and underestimated how vulnerable one can be… at the time without speaking proper English , coming from a tropical weather and living in cold Massachusetts, with no blood related family members nearby , no much resources, working as nanny, as a housekeeper, and sharing an apartment with other couple was not that easy .. so one day I wandered into a Salvation Army, with only $ 25 on my pocket to buy a used coat, for it was a cold winter in Boston, but instead I went and bought an old typewriter machine to vent out my new life in America, that’s how it all started… I left that Salvation Army feeling warm as I embraced that typewriter, even thus I was shivering with a T-shirt on a winter day. But I knew that typewriter would be my companion, my best friend, and my therapist.
In a couple of months, I had my first book ready to be published “ Sonho Americano “ – in the Portuguese language – American Dream in English.
A fiction book based on the true life and experiences of immigrants in the USA in the 80s, some chapters are based on my own history, and others are glimpse of what my compatriots friends encountered abroad, a book that described how harsh was life for a young Latina lady named “Maria”, the protagonist of the history .
Shortly after I volunteered to start writing to a newspaper in Massachusetts for the growing Brazilian community. “ Brazilian Times Newspaper.“
By the 1990s I moved to sunny Florida ( Boca Raton ) and continued to write a weekly column for the Brazilian Times, I wrote how life was in Florida. Gave tips and facts for newcomers, highlighted Florida places to go and things to see, and end up learning as I researched. I became a true Florida advocate.
It was not much long for local community newspapers to invite me to write for them as well. By the year 2000, I was writing for three newspapers in Florida.
“Brazilian Sun,” “Florida Review,” and “Brazilian Paper” to name a few. All with no payment!
Meanwhile, my poetic vein was popping out, and I wrote a solo poetry book with poetry’s in English, Portuguese and Italian “ Conversando com as Estrelas” ( Talking with the Stars). It was published in Brazil and launched here in Florida as well.
I didn’t stop there, With the new millennium I came up with a new literary project, and I idealized, coordinated, and published two anthologies. In each one, I gathered 30 authors ( all Brazilians living abroad, in the USA, Europe, and Asia ), and each one wrote either a poem or a short history about immigrant life. Both anthologies were named “Brava Gente Brasileira em Terras Estrangeiras” volume I & II. It was the first two anthologies ever in history to be written exclusively by Brazilians living abroad.
Meanwhile, I was attending the college of Broadcasting in Fort Lauderdale City college. I graduated with honors and went for work in a TV Production in Coral Springs. All this while being a mom to two boys and raising my family.
But I guess it was not over. With the new technology, it was time for new ventures. Social media took over many community newspapers, and I wondered how I could use my creativity and be unique once again.
Since I’ve always loved and had an eye for nature photography, I decided to create some Instagram pages about Florida, and it’s natural resources. I guess all my research about Florida in the past lead me to it.
That’s how @streetsofflorida, @streetsofboca, @streetsofdelray, and @humansofflorida_bw were born.
But wait! How about my home country and the beauty of the Amazon Basin? I had to come up with @humansoftheamazon as well.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’m a lover of nature and have a sensibility to see beauty, whereas many don’t.
A humble person with a tendency to see beauty in simple things. I think we all can do our part in this world and leave or mark.
I’m a humanitarian lady, every time I travel to Brazil, I visit poor kids in orphanages, shelters, or after school children’s programs and bring them words of wisdom through my children poetry. I teach them English, and I ask them to write a poem in exchange. Matter of fact I have 20 poems ( here in the USA with me ) written by hand by kids in Brazil , I’m looking for a publisher here in the USA to help me turn this into a little book and revert the profits straight to them ( a registered nonprofit organization there that helps underprivileged kids).
In resume, my art is a creation from my own perspective. I can create a poem on a cloudy day and not have it on a sunny one. I write for adults and children, and I have poems in many subjects, I’ve written poems about walls, ants, domestic violence, discrimination, solitude, victory and of course love!
I’m a reclusive artist with an extrovert soul. I guess I’m planting my seeds in this world, little by little, throughout my books, my poems, my chronicles, my writings, my projects, my volunteerism and lately with my nature pictures.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
Life for artists has never been easy. An artist needs to be, to feel, and to strive whereas others pass by without seeing it. Everyone has an artist inside that is either dormant ( they don’t realize how sensitive they’re ) or killed ( realized but not pursuits the given talent ). In the past artists were called crazy and lazy, and art was not viewable as a way of life.
Nowadays, I think it’s easier to let wherever talent flows, one has more exposure of his or her art, with the new technology it becomes easier to travel without going places, it’s easier to sell and to buy. We have it all on the palm of our hands.
In Florida many cities are investing in street art on public places, let it be murals, sculptures, open-air galleries, art festivals, they are all over the place, and It’s certainly a great way to incorporate art on our daily lives. This is a good path, and I’m proud to live in Florida and be part of it. I’m registering all these beauties throughout my pictures!
Last message? Remember that even this technology is great it can never surpass a true human talent ! If you are a dormant artist maybe it’s time to wake up that guy or girl and let them see the beauty of this world with an artist’s eye!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Some of my books “Sonho Americano” e “Conversando com as Estrelas” can be bought at Amazon.com.
Both anthologies “Brava Gente Brasileira em Terras Estrangeiras” can be purchased directly with me. I do have a few editions available.
Visit my pages on Instagram and Facebook and follow me there for support! All my followers are organics, and I’ll follow you back!
I’m looking for collaboration and partnership with travel agencies, health, and wellness, nature conservation, art, and culture.
Please leave your comment saying you read my history here. Tell me what did you think of my life story! Yes, I’m an immigrant to this country that didn’t give up my dreams and went after it. I found art while I was doing odd end jobs, while I was being looked down, art gave me the strength to keep going, and I’m still running towards it, there’s no end.
@streetsofflorida
@streetsofboca
@streetsofdelray
@humansofflorida_bw
@humansoftheamazon and
@angelabretas_photography
Also on Facebook :
Poesias & Prosas – Poetry & Prose by Angela Bretas
Email : angelabretas@hotmail.com
Contact Info:
- Messenger: Angela Bretas
- Phone: + 1 561 221 4882
- Email: angelabretas@hotmail.com.
- Instagram: @streetsofflorida, @streetsofboca, @streetsofdelray, @humansofflorida_bw, @humansoftheamazon, @angelabretas_photography
- Facebook: Angela Bretas Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
