“We just want to have a place that our daughter can feel safe, loved, and free to be herself.”

Hello, friends and kind strangers —

We’re the Rowes: Richard, Allison, and our sweet 23-year-old daughter, Sienna. We’re an interracial family — a caring Black mother a proud white father, and the most beautiful, young woman you’ll ever meet — and we’re reaching out because we need your help to build a new life.

We love our country, but right now… America no longer feels like home.

Over the past few years — and especially here in Texas — the political and social climate has become frightening. We’ve endured slurs in grocery store parking lots. Notes on our car telling us to “go back where you came from.” Allison's coworkers treating her differently,” and police have stopped Richard.

The hardest moment came when Sienna— our bright, funny daughter— came home telling us the slurs that she had to endure that day because of the racist hate from her employer, though they had the right to subject her to.

We knew then that staying here was no longer just hard. It was dangerous for our spirits and for Sienna's future.

Why Portugal?

When we started researching places where diversity is celebrated, healthcare is universal, and safety is taken for granted — we kept coming across Portugal.

We learned about its affordable cost of living, welcoming communities, and its history as a country that has embraced people from all over the world. Families who’ve moved there say they can finally breathe again, and that their children of all ages are thriving.

That’s what we want for Sienna:

A place where she can feel proud of every part of who she is, without fear.

A community where she’s nurtured, not bullied.

A home where her parents don’t flinch every time the doorbell rings.

What We Need

We’ve already started the process — selling what we can, applying for visas, learning Portuguese — but the costs are overwhelming:

✈️ Flights for 3 to Lisbon

🏠 Security deposit and rent for our first few months in a safe neighborhood

📄 Visa application fees and required documentation

🚚 Shipping a few belongings we can’t replace

💊 Setting up healthcare as we transition

Our goal is to raise $15,000 to cover the initial costs of relocation and help us land on our feet during the first months as we look for work and build a life there.

Every single dollar brings us closer to giving Ava the life she deserves — and giving our family peace again.

Why We Believe

We know this is a big dream. And we know it takes courage to leave everything familiar behind. But we also believe that no child — no family — should have to live in fear.

We believe in creating a home where love is stronger than hate, and where our little girl can grow into the strong, kind, brilliant woman she’s meant to be.

With your help, we can step into a future full of hope, safety, and belonging.

How You Can Help

🙏 Donate what you can — no amount is too small.

📣 Share our story with your friends and family.

💌 Send us encouragement and prayers — they mean the world to us.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading our story. Thank you for seeing us, and for believing that the world can still be a kind and welcoming place.

We can’t wait to send you a picture of Ava smiling on a sunny Portuguese street, knowing that she’s finally safe — thanks to you.

With love and gratitude,

Jamal, Emily, and Ava Robinson