Career
In February 1968, Karen Ashley and Mark Rudd along with eighteen other members traveled to Cuba as guests of the Cuban government. According to "New Left Notes" dated October 9, 1967, the group of members departed on February 6 from O"Hare International Airport in Chicago bound for Mexico City. They met a connecting flight to Havana on Cuba"s Cubana Airlines.
The group spent 2½ weeks in Cuba and returned to the United States by way of Canada.
Ashley was a part of the National Office of in Chicago. The New York Region of held a Series of Commentaries about on radio station WBAI FM, 99.5 each Wednesday, after the evening news.
Ashley was interviewed on March 20, 1968, by Jeff Jones, a fellow member and master of ceremonies for the broadcast. Ashley was asked to discuss her impressions from her 2 1/1 weeks in Cuba.
She stated that while walking down the streets "the thing that struck her the most was the way the people have a pride in being a part of the revolution." Ashley was a principal initiator of the Venceremos Brigade.
She provided arrangements to send members in 1970 to help the Cuban farmers cut the sugar cane for harvest. Ashley attended the "War Council" in Flint, Michigan December 27–31, 1969. This was the last public gathering with other members before splintering off to form
Some primary authors were Terry Robbins, Bernardine Dohrn, Mark Rudd, John Jacobs, Jim Mellen, Bill Ayers, Karen Ashley, Steve Tappis, Gerry Long, Jeff Jones, and Howie Machtinger.
Ashley"s fingerprints were found along with Michael Justesen, Naomi Jaffe, Bill Ayers and 16 other Weather Underground members" fingerprints.
The prints were lifted by Federal Bureau of Investigation in an abandoned apartment dubbed "Pine Street Bomb Factory" in San Francisco, California. Weather Underground members used the apartment during April 1970 to mid-April, 1971.
Federal Bureau of Investigation inspections found explosives and bomb making paraphernalia.
