Oakland leaders remember political powerhouses Peggy Moore, Hope Wood

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — Political and community leaders across the Bay Area remembered the lives of Peggy Moore and Hope Wood–the two women who were killed in a car crash over the weekend in San Diego County.

Former Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf said that Moore was instrumental in her political run and had a true passion to help others through policy.

“Many of her friends and family are shocked by– somewhat comforted by the idea that they went immediately. That they went instantaneously without pain and that they went together,” Schaaf said.

Moore and her wife Hope wood were killed in a car crash Friday.

“She had been the state director of Obama and she agreed to the campaign manager for a one term council member who was challenging the incumbent this was back in 2013 – 2014,” Schaaf said.

Moore was Schaaf’s campaign manager for her run for mayor of Oakland in 2015 and a senior advisor towards the end of Schaaf’s time in office. But above all else, Schaaf said she remembers Moore as a close friend who loved people and making connections.

“You could not walk anywhere with Peggy without it taking two hours,” Schaaf said. “She knew every person. For her, politics was deeply personal. It was about connecting through our differences. to lift up our shared hopes and just love.”

Oakland Representative Barbara Lee posted about her sadness over the loss on X, saying she is “heartbroken.”

“Peggy was a friend, activist and one of the best organizers I knew,” the post read. “Her passion and fight for justice and equality is what brought her and Hope together.”

Moore and Wood created a political consulting firm in 2020 called Hope Action Change. The couple met while working on the Obama campaign in 2008.

“She and Hope went through this county and especially in California to empower people,” Schaaf said.

Close family and friends held a vigil last night for both Moore and Wood at Lake Merritt.
KRON 4 was told the couple got married.

KRON 4 reached out to San Diego CHP to learn more about the crash.

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