Marion (Camozzi) Kinney was born in Colfax, Washington, in 1912. During her early life, she worked as a grape-picker, a boxmaker, a farm laborer, and a machinist.

Kinney joined the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) in 1937. During the 40s, she was an officer of the Newspaper Guild Auxiliary and also belonged to IAM Local #751. She worked at Boeing until she was fired upon her election as Vice-President of the Washington Commonwealth Federation. She belonged to IAM #79 at Western Gear, and helped found the Washington Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born, which she led from 1948 through 1965. n 1960, Kinney worked to create the Washington Cultural Cooperative, which established the Frontier Bookstore in Seattle. She was the manager of the Frontier Bookstore from 1943 to 1956.

From 1956 to 1969, Marion worked as a cab driver and as a waitress, belonging to Waitress Local #240. In 1960, she helped found the Co-Op Bookstore. She was Northwest Editor of the People’s World from 1969 to 1979. In 1980, Marion ran for the Washington State Legislature from the 37th District. Running as a Communist, her slogan asked, "Do You Want A Landlord or a Worker to Represent You?" She garnered over 9% of the vote.