The mother of San Francisco District Attorney, Chesa Boudin, passed away over the weekend at 78 years old, according to an announcement by the Columbia University Center for Justice.
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Kathy passed away at 12:59 p.m. on Sunday after a seven-year battle with cancer.
Kathy Boudin, as well as Chesa's father, David Gilbert, were known for being members of the infamous Weather Underground, a left-wing militant organization that first formed in 1969.
Kathy and Gilbert wound up participating in a robbery of a Brinks truck in Nyack, New York, with the group in 1981 that culminated in three people being killed. She was convicted for her role and served 22 years in prison.
Gilbert was also sentenced, to 75 years. Just last year he was granted clemency by the former governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, and was released last November.
Chesa was only 14 months old at the time of his parents' arrest and sentencing, and had been left to be raised by other members of the organization, according to the announcement.
While at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, Kathy reportedly felt remorse about her actions and spent her time there dedicating herself to advocacy for incarcerated women, education and organization to help the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
She was the first woman to earn a masters degree while incarcerated in New York State Prison, according to the announcement. Upon her parole in 2003, she founded the Coming Home Program at the Spencer Cox Center for Health at Mt. Sinai/St. Luke's Hospital to provide healthcare for those released from prison.
She earned a doctorate from Columbia University Teachers College in 2007 and became a professor. She also co-founded and co-directed the Center for Justice at Columbia University.
"Kathy is one of my oldest friends. We've known each other since high school, and we've done work against the prison industrial complex for the last twenty some years since Kathy herself was released from prison," said Activist and Professor Angela Davis in the announcement.
Kathy is survived by her brother Michael Boudin, her life partner David Gilbert and three sons, three daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren.
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