![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Marcia-Poole.png\")
Marcia Poole on her 24th birthday. Credit: Thomas Lynch<\/p>\nMarcia Poole on her 24th birthday. Credit: Thomas Lynch<\/p>\n
Marcia Ellen\u00a0Poole of Berkeley passed away peacefully on March 2 at Kaiser Oakland. She was 83.<\/p>\n
Born Feb. 13, 1943, into a family devoted to service, Marcia was the daughter of Lt. Col. Luther\u00a0Poole, a United States Army Finance Corps officer during World War II, and Mariam\u00a0Poole, a registered nurse who later became head nurse following the establishment of California\u2019s first cardiac telemetry unit. Marcia lovingly cared for her mother in her later years, reflecting a compassion that would define her life. Marcia moved her mother closer and cared for her in her later years.<\/p>\n
She attended Sacramento State College, graduating in 1968. In 1971, Marcia traveled to India, spending time at Ganeshpuri Ashram \u2014 an experience that became a profound spiritual turning point. Marcia became a Buddhist nun, a bhikkhun\u012b. Her travels, including journeys through the Himalayas, shaped her deep reverence for life and led her to embrace Buddhist principles of compassion, nonviolence and mindful living. She lived these values daily, choosing a vegetarian lifestyle and abstaining from dairy and meat out of respect for all living beings. Marcia was also an astrologist.<\/p>\n
Marcia studied graphic and visual design during her college years and later became immersed in the evolving world of digital and multimedia art. Working at the intersection of photography and technology, she created richly layered compositions using digital tools and imagination. Her photography, in particular, served as a quiet form of witnessing \u2014 capturing moments of humanity, resilience and truth that might otherwise go unseen. From the early 2000s through the pandemic years, she built a substantial and distinctive body of work. She was affiliated with the Digital Arts Collective and exhibited in venues throughout Berkeley and San Francisco.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Marcia.jpg\")
Marcia talking at a Rent Board convention around 2016. Credit: Christine Schwartz<\/p>\n
Marcia was a beautiful spirit inside and out. People would note her radiance, shiny, long, beautiful hair, and\u00a0aura. True to her nature, Marcia\u2019s creative spirit extended beyond her own work. She was deeply committed to uplifting others and championing the voices of fellow artists, especially those too often overlooked. She organized poetry gatherings that created space for expression, connection, and healing within the community.<\/p>\n
By her own account, the most meaningful project of her artistic life was one she both curated and directed. In 2019, she organized\u00a0\u201cCreativity Unhoused\u201d\u00a0at Expressions Gallery in Berkeley, a powerful exhibition featuring artwork created by people living on the streets. The show brought together unhoused artists and community advocates in a complex and heartfelt collaboration. Opening night drew hundreds of attendees from all walks of life, filling the space with energy and recognition.<\/p>\n
At its heart, the exhibition reflected Marcia herself \u2014 her belief in the dignity and potential of every person, her lifelong activism, and her extraordinary ability to bring people together. It stood as a landmark celebration of hidden talent and human resilience.<\/p>\n
Marcia was a tireless advocate for tenants, unhoused individuals and disabled residents.\u00a0Marcia pushed for more tenant protections for Berkeley residents.\u00a0Marcia dedicated her life to standing beside those too often pushed to the margins.<\/p>\n
A familiar and determined presence at Berkeley City Council meetings, she spoke with clarity and conviction on behalf of vulnerable communities. She supported\u00a0First They Came for the Homeless, bearing witness to encampment clearings and advocating for dignity and justice.<\/p>\n
His Own Private Berkeley (LA Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n Whistleblower ready for justice (SFGATE<\/a>)<\/p>\n In 1999, Marcia demonstrated extraordinary courage when she intervened to prevent a teenage girl in a rolled-up rug from being stuffed in a van on a Berkeley street<\/a>. Her intervention led to the discovery of the death of a 13-year-old girl, from carbon monoxide poisoning, and helped spur a major investigation that grew to include the FBI and the Department of Justice and unraveled an indentured servitude\/sex ring<\/a> operated by one of Berkeley\u2019s wealthiest landlords.<\/p>\n In the years that followed, Marcia worked alongside Dr. Diana Russell as part of a committed advocacy effort confronting sexual exploitation and femicide. Together, they organized, documented, and pursued accountability through the courts, persistently demanding just decisions. Their efforts contributed to greater awareness and helped create changes in California\u2019s human trafficking laws.<\/p>\n In the years after, Marcia helped bring attention to the cases of Jill and Grace, two elderly women in threat of being evicted, which became central to the passage of Measure Y, strengthening protections for senior and disabled tenants in Berkeley.<\/p>\n Known for her insight, empathy, and unwavering presence, Marcia supported countless individuals facing housing instability and injustice. She had a rare gift for listening deeply and standing beside others in moments of need. To many, she was an advocate and guide; to others, a dear friend, a second mother, a sister, an aunt, someone special with love, kindness, and support, and an abundant, steady source of wisdom and care.<\/p>\n The community is in shock, mourning this tremendous loss. Berkeley has lost a woman with a giant heart. Marcia was a real-life angel walking among us. Marcia was a dear friend to so many, spending countless hours talking about everything and anything when her friends needed her support and guidance. Marcia hoped to be reincarnated as a bird. That image now brings both tears and comfort. The loss of Marcia is profound; she was a woman of such depth, intelligence, courage, and heart.<\/p>\n Some of Marcia\u2019s last words were, \u201cGod is Love.\u201d<\/p>\n Marcia is survived by her beloved husband, Louis Cuneo, whom she met on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley at a Christmas Fair. Together, they shared a life rooted in conviction, compassion, and companionship. She also leaves behind\u00a0her nieces Rebecca and Leslie, nephew Matthew, and Erin, five great-nieces and nephews, and a wide community of friends, artists, advocates and chosen family.<\/p>\n A Celebration of Life will be held on April 12 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Live Oak Park in Berkeley. Special guests will include former City of Berkeley Councilmember Kriss Worthington\u00a0and State Sen. Jesse Arregu\u00edn.<\/p>\n Donations to support Marcia\u2019s family may be made via PayPal at ChristineSchwartz722 or Venmo at Christine-Schwartz-53.<\/p>\n Her life was love in action; her spirit now moves freely among all living things.<\/p>\n “*” indicates required fields<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Marcia Poole on her 24th birthday. Credit: Thomas Lynch Marcia Ellen\u00a0Poole of Berkeley passed away peacefully on March…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":239209,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[2465,2466,143,145,144],"class_list":["post-239208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-home-highlight","tag-home-lead","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/239209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Marcia-at-Court-tenants-2560x1440.jpeg\")
Marcia (second from right) at court advocating on behalf of Leonard Powell, an elderly Berkeley homeowner burdened by major code repair debt. Credit: Christine Schwartz<\/p>\n