Growing up in a secret family

Zayd Ayers Dohrn never had a normal childhood. His parents were radicals in the 1960s and 70s, fighting against the Vietnam War and racism. They lived underground, always looking over their shoulders for the FBI. To Zayd, this wasn't unusual—it was just life. His parents made it seem like they were heroes from a storybook, comparing themselves to figures like Robin Hood. But for Zayd, it meant a life lived in fear, moving from place to place to stay safe. His mother, Bernardine Dohrn, was a leader in the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a group that opposed the war and discrimination. Later, she helped start the Weather Underground, a group that used bombs to protest the government. They targeted empty police cars and military buildings, warning people ahead of time to avoid injuries. Bernardine even made the FBI's Most Wanted list for years. Zayd remembers his parents explaining their actions in a way that made them seem like rebels fighting for justice—but at what cost? As an adult, Zayd reflects on the contradictions of his childhood. His parents were activists who believed in change but also had children while living as fugitives. This meant leaving kids behind sometimes, even during crimes. Zayd later took in Chesa Boudin, the son of other radical friends who were imprisoned. Chesa became like a brother to him, showing what could have happened to Zayd if his parents had been caught sooner.Life on the run wasn’t easy. His parents used fake identities, even stealing birth certificates from dead children’s graves to create new lives. They’d drive to rural cemeteries, find a child who died young, and use that name for official documents. With a fake birth certificate, they could get new IDs, driver’s licenses, and start over. It was a dangerous game, and one wrong move could mean prison—or worse. By the 1990s, things changed. Zayd’s parents turned themselves in, served time, and rebuilt their lives as middle-class professionals. They passed the bar exam and earned doctorates. Zayd grew up in Chicago, playing baseball and living like any other kid. But the past never really left him. The memoir he wrote explores the guilt and confusion of growing up in such an unconventional family. Zayd doesn’t fully agree with his parents’ choices, but he respects their commitment to fighting racism and war. He acknowledges that their actions were extreme, yet they stood up for what they believed in when few others did. Racism and war didn’t disappear, but his parents showed what it looks like to fight for justice, even when it’s unpopular.