Kerry Kennedy is an American human rights activist, lawyer, author and member of the Kennedy family. She is the seventh of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy’s eleven children and the niece of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. For more than four decades, she has worked on human rights, social justice, women’s rights, environmental justice, freedom of expression and the rule of law.
Kennedy is best known professionally as the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, an organization she has led in its work with human rights defenders and communities around the world. She has led hundreds of human rights delegations and has worked on issues ranging from child labor and Indigenous rights to criminal justice reform, immigration and the human rights implications of artificial intelligence.
In 2026, Kerry Kennedy returned to the headlines amid a dispute surrounding the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. After a federal judge blocked the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the Kennedy Center, Kennedy publicly criticized Trump’s involvement with the institution and called for the center to be left alone. She remains a prominent public voice on human rights and a visible member of the Kennedy family.
Kerry Kennedy Profile Summary
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mary Kerry Kennedy |
| Date of Birth | September 8, 1959 |
| Age | 67 years old in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Human rights activist, lawyer and author |
| Known For | President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights |
| Father | Robert F. Kennedy |
| Mother | Ethel Kennedy |
| Uncle | John F. Kennedy |
| Education | Brown University; Boston College Law School |
| Religion | Catholic background |
| Former Husband | Andrew Cuomo |
| Children | Three daughters |
| Daughters | Cara, Mariah and Michaela |
| Organization | Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights |
| Books | Speak Truth to Power, Being Catholic Now, Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope |
| Legal Qualifications | Massachusetts and District of Columbia bars |
| Current Role | President, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights |
Kerry Kennedy Early Life
Mary Kerry Kennedy was born on September 8, 1959, in Washington, D.C. She was the seventh child of Robert F. Kennedy, the former U.S. attorney general and U.S. senator, and Ethel Kennedy. She grew up as part of one of America’s most prominent political families, surrounded by relatives whose public lives were closely connected to American politics and public service.
Her childhood was shaped by both privilege and tragedy. Her father was assassinated in Los Angeles in June 1968 while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. Kerry was eight years old at the time. Her mother, Ethel, subsequently raised their eleven children and remained active in social and humanitarian causes.
Growing up in the Kennedy family exposed Kerry to public service and social justice from an early age. Her father’s interest in civil rights, poverty and justice became particularly important to her later career. She eventually developed a professional identity centered less on electoral politics and more on international human rights advocacy.
Kerry Kennedy Education
Kerry Kennedy attended Brown University, where she completed her undergraduate education. Her academic interests developed alongside an increasing interest in international affairs and social justice.
She subsequently attended Boston College Law School and earned her law degree. Her legal education provided a foundation for the human rights work that would become the central focus of her professional career.
Kennedy was later admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. Her combination of legal training and international advocacy allowed her to work with governments, courts, human rights organizations and activists in different parts of the world.
Kerry Kennedy Career
Beginning of Human Rights Work
Kerry Kennedy began her human rights career in 1981. Her early work involved documenting abuses and advocating for people whose rights had been violated in different parts of the world.
She became particularly interested in how international human rights standards could be used to pressure governments and institutions to protect vulnerable populations. Her work eventually took her to numerous countries and involved direct engagement with activists, lawyers, political leaders and victims of human rights abuses.
Kennedy has said that her commitment to human rights was influenced by her father’s belief in justice and public service. Rather than pursuing a conventional political career, she developed a professional path in international advocacy.
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
In 1988, Kennedy established what was originally known as the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights. The organization later became known as Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
The organization works internationally on human rights and supports people and organizations seeking greater protection of basic rights. Kennedy has served as its president and has made the organization one of the central parts of her professional life.
Under her leadership, the organization has worked on issues including women’s rights, child labor, freedom of expression, Indigenous rights, criminal justice reform, immigration, environmental justice and judicial independence.
Kennedy has led hundreds of human rights delegations to countries around the world. These missions have involved meeting human rights defenders, government officials and affected communities.
Work With Amnesty International
Kennedy has also had a long relationship with Amnesty International. She served as chair of the Amnesty International USA Leadership Council for more than a decade.
Her work with Amnesty complemented her leadership at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and expanded her involvement in international human rights advocacy.
Through these roles, she became a prominent American advocate for international human rights and regularly appeared on television networks and contributed to newspapers and magazines as a commentator.
Human Rights Campaigns
Throughout her career, Kennedy has worked on a broad range of issues. These have included efforts against child labor, campaigns for women’s rights, the protection of Indigenous communities and advocacy surrounding people who have disappeared.
She has also worked on freedom of expression, ethnic violence, environmental justice, criminal justice reform and immigration. More recently, her organization’s work has included examining the human rights implications of artificial intelligence and advocating for responsible technology.
Her career has therefore extended well beyond a single human rights issue. She has consistently approached human rights as a broad international field involving legal protections, political institutions and social conditions.
Author
Kerry Kennedy is also an author. Her books include Speak Truth to Power, Being Catholic Now and Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope.
Speak Truth to Power grew out of her work documenting human rights defenders around the world. The project brought attention to people working under difficult conditions to defend basic freedoms and challenge abuses of power.
Her 2018 book Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope examined the legacy of her father through interviews with people who had been influenced by his work and ideas. The project included reflections from prominent figures in politics, entertainment and civil rights.
In 2026, she is also associated with the forthcoming book Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy, which is scheduled for publication in October 2026. The book focuses on the life and legacy of her mother.
Public Speaking and Media Work
Kennedy frequently appears as a commentator and speaker on human rights, social justice and international affairs. Her background as both a lawyer and an activist has made her a regular participant in discussions involving human rights policy.
She has spoken at universities, international conferences and public institutions. Her work has also taken her to countries where human rights defenders were facing political pressure or other forms of repression.
Her public profile is strengthened by her place within the Kennedy family, but her professional reputation has largely been built through her decades of human rights work.
Awards and Recognition
Kerry Kennedy has received numerous honors for her human rights work. Among them are distinctions from international organizations and public figures recognizing her advocacy.
She received a high honor from former Polish President Lech Wałęsa for her support for the Solidarity movement. She has also received the Humanitarian Award from the Congress of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
She has additionally received honorary doctoral degrees from several institutions, including Le Moyne College, the University of San Francisco School of Law, the University of New Caledonia, Bay Path University and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Kerry Kennedy Trending: Why Is Kerry Kennedy Famous?
Kerry Kennedy is currently attracting renewed attention because of the dispute surrounding the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. In September 2026, a federal judge blocked the Kennedy Center’s board from adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building after the board had voted to do so.
Kennedy, whose father was Robert F. Kennedy and whose uncle was President John F. Kennedy, publicly criticized Trump’s involvement with the institution. She said that the Kennedy Center should be left alone and described Trump’s actions in strongly critical terms. Her comments were reported by ABC News in September 2026.
The controversy has brought Kennedy’s family connection to the performing arts center into renewed public focus. Her broader public role, however, is centered on human rights rather than the Kennedy Center itself. She continues to serve as president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, where her work covers a wide range of international human rights issues.
Kerry Kennedy Personal Life
Kerry Kennedy married Andrew Cuomo in 1990. Cuomo, the son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, later became governor of New York. The couple had three daughters, Cara, Mariah and Michaela.
Kennedy and Cuomo divorced in 2005. Their daughters have largely maintained private lives, although Cara Cuomo has pursued work connected to public health and social causes. Kennedy has spoken publicly about motherhood and her family, but she has generally kept much of her private life separate from her international advocacy work.
Kerry remains closely connected to the wider Kennedy family. She is one of Robert and Ethel Kennedy’s eleven children and is a sister of figures including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Douglas Kennedy, Rory Kennedy and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Her family background continues to attract public attention, although her own career has largely centered on human rights rather than electoral politics.
Kerry Kennedy Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
Kerry Kennedy was born on September 8, 1959, making her 67 years old in 2026. She was born in Washington, D.C., and is American by nationality.
Kennedy was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition of the Kennedy family. Her book Being Catholic Now explored the experiences and perspectives of Catholics and reflected her long-standing engagement with questions surrounding faith and religious identity.
Kennedy’s exact height is not consistently documented by authoritative public sources. She is known publicly for her dark hair and distinctive Kennedy family appearance, but detailed physical measurements are not an important part of her public biography.
Kerry Kennedy Net Worth
Kerry Kennedy’s exact net worth is not publicly verified. She has spent most of her professional life working in nonprofit human rights advocacy rather than in a conventional commercial career, making online celebrity-wealth estimates particularly difficult to substantiate.
Her financial background is also connected to the prominent Kennedy family, but family wealth should not automatically be treated as her personal net worth. Publicly available information does not provide a reliable accounting of her assets, investments or inherited wealth.
Kennedy’s professional career has primarily centered on Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, writing, speaking and advocacy. Without verified financial disclosures, it would be speculative to assign a precise dollar value to her net worth.
Kerry Kennedy Legacy
Kerry Kennedy’s principal professional legacy is her decades-long involvement in international human rights advocacy. Since beginning this work in 1981, she has participated in campaigns and delegations addressing issues ranging from women’s rights and child labor to freedom of expression and environmental justice.
Her leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights has also helped preserve and extend her father’s public legacy in a field closely connected to his own interests in civil rights and social justice. The organization has continued working internationally with human rights defenders and communities facing violations of basic rights.
At the same time, Kennedy has contributed to the historical record of her family through her books about her father and mother. Her career therefore combines direct human rights advocacy with efforts to document the lives and public legacies of two influential members of the Kennedy family.
Conclusion
Kerry Kennedy is an American lawyer, human rights activist and author whose career has been defined by more than four decades of international advocacy. As president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, she has worked on issues including women’s rights, child labor, Indigenous rights, freedom of expression, criminal justice reform and environmental justice, while her books have explored both human rights and the legacy of her family. In 2026, her public comments about the dispute surrounding the Kennedy Center brought her back into national attention, but her broader professional identity remains rooted in human rights advocacy and the preservation of the public-service legacy associated with her parents, Robert and Ethel Kennedy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kerry Kennedy
Who is Kerry Kennedy?
Kerry Kennedy is an American lawyer, human rights activist and author. She is the seventh child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy and serves as president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
How old is Kerry Kennedy?
Kerry Kennedy was born on September 8, 1959, making her 67 years old in 2026.
Who are Kerry Kennedy’s parents?
Her parents were Robert F. Kennedy, the former U.S. attorney general and U.S. senator, and Ethel Kennedy.
Is Kerry Kennedy related to John F. Kennedy?
Yes. John F. Kennedy was Kerry Kennedy’s uncle. He was the younger brother of her father, Robert F. Kennedy.
What does Kerry Kennedy do?
Kerry Kennedy is a human rights activist, lawyer and author. She serves as president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
What is Kerry Kennedy famous for?
She is best known for her decades of international human rights advocacy and her leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
Where did Kerry Kennedy go to college?
She graduated from Brown University and later earned her law degree from Boston College Law School.
Who is Kerry Kennedy’s husband?
Kerry Kennedy was married to Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York. They married in 1990 and divorced in 2005.
How many children does Kerry Kennedy have?
Kerry Kennedy has three daughters: Cara, Mariah and Michaela.
What religion is Kerry Kennedy?
Kerry Kennedy was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and has written about Catholicism in her book Being Catholic Now.
What books has Kerry Kennedy written?
Her books include Speak Truth to Power, Being Catholic Now and Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope. She is also the author of the forthcoming Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy.
What is Kerry Kennedy’s role at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights?
She is the president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and has led the organization in international human rights advocacy.
Why is Kerry Kennedy in the news in 2026?
Kerry Kennedy made headlines in September 2026 after publicly criticizing President Donald Trump’s involvement with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts amid a dispute over the center’s name.