Kirsten Cross
June 27, 1964 - June 13, 2022
We are saddened to announce that our wonderful Kirsten Cross succumbed to pancreatic cancer on June 13, 2022, just two weeks shy of her 58th birthday. She leaves behind her parents (Richard) Orrin Cross and Carol Cross; her two siblings, Kevin and Kimberly; her beloved daughters, Jonisha and Jay (AKA Sequari) Sasson Cross, and countless friends. She was a caring daughter and sister, a loving mother, a good friend, and a dedicated world citizen.
Kirsten was born in Redwood City and attended Redwood City public schools and San Carlos High School, graduating with San Carlos’ final class in 1982. She spent her Junior year on a dairy farm in Wisconsin with American Field Service and traveled to Spain with the same program upon graduation.
Returning to the U.S., she attended UC Santa Cruz, majoring in Environmental Studies. Her passion for social justice and the environment led her to join Infact (now Corporate Accountability) – becoming a major force in the GE Consumer Boycott, which ultimately succeeded in driving General Electric out of nuclear weapons production. One of her proudest moments was appearing in a clip of “Deadly Deception,” which aired when the film won the 1991 Oscar for Best Short Documentary. After the ceremony, Kirsten quipped, “I believe this makes me an award-winning actress.” The film proved to be a PR nightmare for GE; the company pulled out of the nuclear weapons business nine short months later.
In the early 2000’s, Kirsten with her then-husband Michael-David Sasson, adopted both Jonisha and Sequari/Jay. Kirsten and Michael-David created a community of support for their two daughters, which continues today -- in part -- as the ten person “Godparents’ Council.” The entire family enjoyed attending PACT Family Camp for many years, which focuses on assisting and building up families with adopted children of color while building towards more ethical adoption practices.
During her brief time on Earth, Kirsten worked tirelessly for social and economic justice. Throughout her life she maintained a clear vision for the world in which she wanted to live. She was often ahead of her time: In 1996 she helped lead California’s Single Payer Initiative Prop. 186 campaign – more than a decade before the Affordable Health Care Act and Covered
California were signed into law. She then co-directed the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), a labor-based nonprofit that improves conditions for thousands of low-wage workers in the region. She also served as Political Director of the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, developing programs to build union power and solidarity across sectors. And before the funding ran out ~ always a problem for non-profits ~ she was the Program Director of WriterCoach Connection, serving 2,500 middle school and high school students in the East Bay.
Her final years were spent with Construction Trades Workforce Initiative, advancing economic and social justice by providing pathways to family-sustaining union construction careers for underrepresented communities. Fairness and justice were near and dear to Kirsten’s heart, and at the core of everything she did.
In her final days, Kirsten was grateful for the California State Legislature for passing the End-Of-Life option, enabling her to say good-bye to her family and friends on her own terms. Her strength, courage, and profound humanity remains an inspiration for all of us who loved her. She is deeply missed.
A memorial for Kirsten will be held at the First UU Church of Oakland on June 10 at 2:00. If you would like to honor Kirsten with a donation, please consider African Communities Together (ACT) africans. us, PACT pactadopt.org, Corporate Accountability corporateaccountability.org, Being Well at BeingwellCA. org, or Labor Notes labornotes.org.