We won the 2024 “FRANCES FULLER VICTOR AWARD FOR GENERAL NONFICTION Oregon Book Award. Sponsored by “Literary Arts”

 I am so grateful to write this little note about Josephine Woolington.

On Monday April 8th our book, “Where We Call Home: Lands, Seas, and Skies of the Pacific Northwest”, took the “FRANCES FULLER VICTOR AWARD FOR GENERAL NONFICTION”. The 2024 Oregon Book Award Ceremony was sponsored by “Literary Arts” at “Portland Center Stage at The Armory”.

Being present for this award ceremony was like winning an Oscar. But sweeter.

Josephine’s journey has led her to explore the natural histories of ten native species in the Pacific Northwest; searching for answers about how to preserve, improve, and heal from the dilemmas we face in our ecosystems. She logged thousands of hours of long hikes, canoe routes, driving excursions and more in order to get environmental answers from the sources themselves. She listened and has now aided in preserving the voices of plants, animals, Indigenous leaders, scientists, and artists.

She is the most compassionate, thorough, eclectic soul sister I’ve ever met. I have had the opportunity to partner and pen my artwork to the cover, spot illustrations, and provide an epitaph to our book. What an honor.

These experiences have enhanced my understanding of how I view the world today. From a Chef’s perspective I have always had a delicate relationship with plant life. I know what benefits they gift when healing myself and my community, one plate at a time. Without education, interventionist care, and cultivation, these plants will go extinct and we will only be reliant on for-profit consumer agriculture structures, that keep our land and body unhealthy.

What Josephine taught me, through our book, is to pay attention to the world around us. As we should.

Thank you for inviting me on this journey with you!

Congratulations Josephine Woolington!!

My Soul Sister for life!