Julia Vinograd, celebrated Bay Area poet for over 30 years and Berkeley personality, recently received a cancer diagnosis. Despite Ms. Vinograd's many contributions to the arts, writing poetry is not a lucrative business. 

We are asking for your financial help. Julia's health has declined so that she is no longer able to live on her own. She needs to hire help to receive 24/7 care, travel to her appointments, and get further treatment. Some of these expenses will be covered by her Medi-Cal, but her needs will not be met without additional funding. Please give to the trustee of the Julia Vinograd Special Needs Trust to help support this incredible artist who has dedicated her life to her community! All funds will be used for Julia’s benefit and any remainder on Julia’s passing will be applied to support other community artists.

From the City of Berkeley Proclamation Honoring Julia Vinograd with the Lifetime Achievement Award as Berkeley's unofficial Poet Laureate:

"She gives us herself in her poetry. Her love affair with Berkeley has spanned 30 years and 48 books, and for that we thank her. We thank her for her valuable words. She makes us feel that we are not alone, that we are a community that bends at signs of adversity but never breaks. For this we thank her. She is the People's Poet of People's Park. ... She is a slice of artistic, free speech pie. In essence she is the spirit of Berkeley. For this we love her." - Mayor Tom Bates