Kerry Kennedy

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Kerry Kennedy

Born September 8, 1959 (1959-09-08) (age 48)
Washington, D.C.
Education Brown University
Boston College Law School
Spouse Andrew Cuomo (1990 - 2003)
Children daughters Cara, Mariah, Michaela.
Parents Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel

Mary Kerry Kennedy (known as Kerry) was born September 8, 1959, in Washington, D.C., the seventh of the eleven children of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy.

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[edit] Background

Kennedy is a graduate of Brown University and Boston College Law School. She married former New York Governor Mario Cuomo's son Andrew Cuomo on June 9, 1990, in the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington D.C.. They separated in 2003 and have since divorced [1]. They have three children Cara Ethel Kennedy Cuomo, Mariah Matilda Kennedy Cuomo, and Michaela Andrea Kennedy Cuomo [2]

[edit] Activism

Since 1981, Kennedy has worked as a human rights activist, leading delegations into countries such as El Salvador, Gaza, Haiti, Kenya, Northern Ireland, and South Korea[3] She was also involved in causes in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Sudan, and Pakistan.[4]

She established the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights in 1988 and was the Executive Director of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial until 1995 [5]. She is also the chair of the Amnesty International Leadership Council, and has been published in in The Boston Globe, The Chicago Sun-Times, and The New York Times.[6] She is a judge for the Reebok Human Rights Award.[7]

[edit] Speeches

Kennedy also travels the country giving speeches and presentations and calling on her audiences to stand up and fight against human rights violations. [8]

[edit] Book

  • Speak Truth to Power[9]

[edit] 2008 Presidential election

In late 2007, Kerry Kennedy, along with siblings Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend [10] announced that they would be endorsing Hillary Clinton. In response to subsequent endorsements by Caroline Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Patrick J. Kennedy for Barack Obama, Robert, Kathleen, and Kerry wrote in a January 29, 2008 editorial:

"By now you may have read or heard that our cousin, Caroline Kennedy, and our uncle, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, have come out in favor of Sen. Barack Obama. We, however, are supporting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton because we believe that she is the strongest candidate for our party and our country"[11].

[edit] Awards

Kennedy was awarded the Gold Mercury Award for Humanitarian Action 2006 for her efforts in defending human rights activists.[12]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links