Staff Spotlight: PCC adviser Bonni Goldberg wins debut author honor
Photos and Story by James Hill
Recently, the Oregon Council of Teachers of English (OCTE) and the Oregon Spirit Book Award Committee announced the recipients of the 2023 Oregon Spirit Book Awards.
The winner in the Debut Author category is Bonni Goldberg for her book “Doña Gracia Saved Worlds,” illustrated by Alida Massari and published by Lerner’s Kar-Ben Publishing. The book tells the story of Gracia Mendes, a significant yet lesser-known figure in Jewish history during the Renaissance. Through this illustrated picture book, Goldberg introduces young readers to Gracia’s journey, emphasizing themes of identity, community and the value of every individual.
“I’m honored and delighted,” said Goldberg, who works as an academic advising specialist at Portland Community College’s Sylvania Campus. “When you sell a picture book manuscript to a publisher, they’re the ones that submit the book for awards, so I wasn’t aware of deadlines for submission or award announcements. I literally got an email from OCTE one day!”
Bonni Goldberg.
Her inspiration for the book stemmed from a personal experience during a mother-daughter bat mitzvah program, where she was surprised to find that no one in the group had heard of Gracia Mendes. Determined to ensure that Gracia’s story became part of the educational curriculum, Goldberg decided to write a picture book to introduce children to this remarkable woman at a young age.
“I was in a mother-daughter bat mitzvah program with my then twelve year old (she is 26 now),” she said. “It was a weekly workshop to learn about different Jewish women leaders. Several of the other mothers in the group were very well-educated Jewishly. When we came to the week we were introduced to Gracia Mendes, not one of the mothers or daughters had ever heard of her. I was genuinely shocked.”
Goldberg said Mendes was an incredible figure not only in Jewish history but as a woman living during the Renaissance. And her story is also an important story about identity, community, and the (Jewish) perspective that every person is like a whole world, she said.
“I knew I was limited in what I could do to ensure her story was part of the curriculum in Jewish Day Schools and Sunday Schools, so I decided to write a picture book so that children could be introduced to Gracia at a young age,” Goldberg explained.
The adviser has worked at PCC for nearly 15 years and advises for the Healthcare & Emergency Services Pathway. Because the majority of these programs are closed entry and competitive, much of her advising centers on assisting students in completing their prerequisite courses and nonacademic requirements strategically, so they can be as competitive as possible.
“I like empowering students to reach their goals,” she said. “I like working with colleagues that care about and advocate for their students. I like being a member of a union, and I like being part of a community in which many people question, challenge and work to change the norms of society that are inequitable.”
Established in 2005, the Oregon Spirit Book Award recognizes authors who make distinguished contributions to children’s or young adult literature. The award celebrates books that engage readers’ imaginations and foster discovery and understanding, reflecting the core values cherished by Oregonians. The selection committee prioritizes works that respectfully portray diverse individuals and groups, promote peaceful and equitable solutions to conflicts, and encourage respect for various cultural perspectives and environmental sustainability.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »