Who is Kelly Kennedy, Andrew Cuomo's ex-wife and prominent activist?
Kerry Kennedy's full name is Mary Kerry Kennedy (opens in new tab) and was married to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (opens in new tab) from 1990 to 2005. Her parents were Robert Francis Kennedy (a.k.a. RFK) and Ethel Skakel, the seventh of eleven children. He was married to Cuomo for 15 years and they have three children together. A longtime human rights activist, Kelly still plays an important role in the Kennedy family, especially in her father's legacy. So what do we know about her?
There is a great article in Vanity Fair (open in new tab) about their marriage, but in a nutshell, Kelly spearheaded the work of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights from a young age. She went to Brown University and Boston College Law School, where she lost her college boyfriend to a sudden heart attack and suffered an early loss. Kelly and Cuomo were both activists from political families, but the Kennedys did not always approve of the Cuomos. By the time they married, journalists referred to the marriage as the "Cuomolotto."
After the death of Kelly's brother Michael Kennedy in 1997, the Kennedy family was apparently very upset when Cuomo gave an on-air interview. in the early 2000s, Cuomo was busy with work, Kelly was stressed at home with three young daughters, and the marriage was reportedly strained. The couple's marriage was reportedly strained. Nevertheless, Kelly worked on Cuomo's first gubernatorial campaign, which failed miserably, and Cuomo quit the campaign, and shortly thereafter Kelly asked Cuomo for a divorce.
Mariah, Carla, and Mikaela, like their parents, are also activists; according to Oprah Mag (opens in new tab), "Mikaela, 22, spent her college years giving voice to sexual abuse victims. Mariah, 25, an outdoor enthusiast and athlete, continues to work closely with her mother as a human rights advocate. Mariah's twin, Kara, travels the world for social justice. Kara is an associate of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Nonprofit (headed by Kelly) and travels the world doing advocacy work.
Cuomo was in a long-term relationship with Sandra Lee, but the two split in September 2019. The two exes, Kelly and Cuomo, are now apparently on friendly terms (opens in new tab): in 2019, Cuomo signed the Agricultural Workers Bill into law, which Kelly had apparently been advocating for some time. In his speech, Cuomo mentioned his family.
""Robert Kennedy would be most pleased to know that the great courage and perseverance he admired was demonstrated by the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, led by his own daughter, Kelly, and granddaughters, Kara, Mariah, and Mikaela." Cuomo said, looking fondly at his ex.
Otherwise, the two seem to have remained silent about the nature of their relationship; both appear to be close with their children.
Kelly is still involved with the family through advocacy work, while continuing to serve as president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. She is also the editor of Being Catholic Now and the author of Robert F. Kennedy: Ripples of Hope. She is also the author of Speak Truth to Power, which features prominent human rights activists.
Interestingly, unlike many families, Kelly is quite active on social media. She talks about human rights and posts often about her family and especially her father:
And she regularly gives interviews and talks about her work.
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