Kerry Kennedy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kerry Kennedy
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Kennedy in 2024
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Mary Kerry Kennedy
September 8, 1959 Washington, D. C., U.S.
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| Education | Brown University (BA) Boston College (JD) |
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| Known for | Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (President) |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | 3 |
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| Family | Kennedy |
Mary Kerry Kennedy (born September 8, 1959) is an American lawyer, writer, and human rights activist. She is a daughter of former United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy. She is also a niece of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy.
Kerry Kennedy is the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. This is a non-profit group that works to protect human rights around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mary Kerry Kennedy was born on September 8, 1959, in Washington, D.C.. Her parents were Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel. Just three days after she was born, her father left his job to help his brother, John F. Kennedy, run for president.
When she was three years old, Kerry appeared in a 1963 documentary film. She said hello to a U.S. Justice Department official on the phone from her father's office. At that time, her father was the Attorney General. Her father was sadly assassinated in 1968. Kerry Kennedy went to The Putney School and Brown University. She later earned her law degree from Boston College Law School.
Career and Activism
Working for Human Rights
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Kerry Kennedy has dedicated her life to making sure everyone has equal justice and basic rights. She also works to protect the rule of law. She is the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. She began her work in human rights in 1981. She was an intern with Amnesty International. There, she looked into problems faced by refugees from El Salvador.
For over 30 years, she has worked on many different human rights issues. These include children's rights, stopping child labor, and finding people who have disappeared. She also works on indigenous land rights, making sure judges are fair, and protecting freedom of expression. She has focused a lot on women's rights. She has worked in more than 60 countries. She has also led many groups that investigate human rights issues.
In 1986, Kennedy started the RFK Center Partners for Human Rights. This group helps human rights defenders worldwide. The Center finds out about human rights abuses like torture and limits on free speech. It also encourages the U.S. government to focus on human rights in its foreign policy. The Center gives activists the tools they need to do their work. Kennedy also started RFK Compass. This group works with financial leaders on investing in a way that helps the planet and people. She also created the RFK Training Institute in Florence, Italy. It offers courses for top human rights defenders from all over the world.
Kennedy is the Chair of the Amnesty International USA Leadership Council. She was chosen by President George W. Bush to be on the board of directors for the United States Institute of Peace. She is also on the boards of Human Rights First and Inter Press Service in Rome, Italy. She supports the Bloody Sunday Trust in Northern Ireland. She is also on the Advisory Committee for the International Campaign for Tibet.
Advocating for Bail Reform
Kennedy has spoken out about how some teenagers are treated in jail before their trials. She campaigned for a law called "Kalief's Law" in New York. This law would help make sure people held in jail get a speedy trial. In 2016, the New York State Assembly passed this law. However, the New York State Senate did not vote on it that year.
Kennedy continues to be a strong voice for speedy trial reform in New York. She wrote in a newspaper that if trials are not fast, it makes the promise of a speedy trial seem like a joke. She has also worked with other groups to push for changes in the justice system.
In 2017, Kerry Kennedy's organization, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, paid the bail for a 17-year-old named Pedro Hernandez. He had been in jail for over a year before his trial. His bail was very high at first, but it was lowered after Kennedy's group argued it was too much. Less than a week after he was released, the charges against him were dropped.
Break Bread, Not Families Campaign
In June 2018, President Donald Trump started a policy that separated immigrant families at the U.S. border. In response, Kennedy joined other groups to start the 'Break Bread Not Families Immigration Fast and Prayer Chain'. This campaign raised money to help reunite immigrant families. They said the policy was wrong and against U.S. and international law.
On June 23, 2018, the campaign held a prayer vigil in McAllen, Texas. This started a campaign where activists and famous people would fast for 24 hours. Then, they would pass the fast to another public figure. Many well-known people joined, including politicians and actors.
Kennedy joined protestors outside the Ursula Detention Center. They briefly stopped a bus carrying immigrant children. Kennedy was even threatened with arrest. She tried to talk to officials inside about children being kept in chain-link cages. The next day, Kennedy led a march and rally in Tornillo, Texas. This was to support the many children held in similar facilities.
Books by Kerry Kennedy
'Being Catholic Now'
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In 2008, Kerry Kennedy was the editor of a book called Being Catholic Now, Prominent Americans talk about Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning. The book included essays from well-known Catholics. These included Nancy Pelosi, Cokie Roberts, and Bill O'Reilly.
'Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope'
In 2018, Kennedy published Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope. In this book, Kerry Kennedy talks with many important people. They share how her father, Robert F. Kennedy, influenced their lives. The book shows how his legacy touched areas like entertainment, politics, and activism. Some people interviewed include Tony Bennett, Bono, Barack Obama, and John Lewis.
Honors and Awards
Kerry Kennedy has received special degrees from several colleges. These include Le Moyne College and University of San Francisco Law School. She is also a member of the Massachusetts and District of Columbia groups for lawyers.
She was named Woman of the Year in 2001 by Save the Children. She also received the Humanitarian of the Year Award. In 2008, she got the Eleanor Roosevelt Medal of Honor. In 2009, World Vision and International AIDS Trust gave her the Human Rights Award.
She has also received awards from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This was for her work to end the death penalty. In 2017, Kennedy received the Medal for Social Activism. This was from the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Bogota, Colombia. It was for her important work helping communities around the world.
Personal Life
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On June 9, 1990, Kerry Kennedy married Andrew Cuomo. They were married at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.. They have three daughters. These are twins Cara Ethel Kennedy-Cuomo and Mariah Matilda Kennedy-Cuomo (born 1995), and Michaela Andrea Kennedy-Cuomo (born 1997). During her marriage to Cuomo, from 1990 to 2005, she was known as Kerry Kennedy-Cuomo. Kennedy and Cuomo divorced in 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Kerry Kennedy para niños
