THE CROWD

B.W. Cook

“Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes,” offered

Kerry Kennedy-Cuomo. “These brave men and women have the guts to enter

the inferno for a cause larger than themselves.”

The daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy was addressing the

Newport-Mesa crowd at the annual American Red Cross luncheon last week in

Orange County.

Though referring to the events of Sept. 11, Kennedy-Cuomo addressed

the broader efforts of relief workers at all times and in all situations,

putting their own lives at risk to save others in danger.

The humanitarian tone was superbly appropriate for the Orange County

Red Cross gathering, which was in fact the ninth annual Clara Barton

Spectrum Awards, recognizing outstanding women in leadership positions

throughout Orange County. Barton was the first president of the American

Red Cross in the late 19th century.

Kennedy-Cuomo, active in the field of human rights for the past 20

years, established the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights in

memory of her late father. The organization serves as an international

beacon for the protection of rights codified under the U.N. Declaration

of Human Rights. In addition, she is the chairwoman of the Amnesty

International Leadership Council and serves on numerous boards dedicated

to various rights issues.

She came to Orange County with a message.

“I can make a difference. And I will make a difference,” said the

young member of the Kennedy clan, who shares in the distinct appearance

and vocal delivery of this most famous American family.

She was born with a fighting spirit and carries on the tradition of

her birthright, encouraging others to follow the credo and to make a

difference in their own lives and in their own communities.

Her late uncle President John F. Kennedy once said “America is a

nation of great people. And great things are expected of great people.”

Clearly, this theme was of tantamount significance not only for the

speaker, but also for this very community, and the audience of Red Cross

supporters.

More than 500 supporters convened at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine to

send the message that this community, like so many others across America,

knows all to well that great things are in fact not only expected, but

demanded of great people.

Kennedy-Cuomo was introduced to the local audience by a most eloquent

event chairwoman, Joan Riach of Lido Isle. Taking the podium, the young

attorney from Massachusetts dedicated her appearance to the memory of her

aunt Kathleen Kennedy, who was lost in a plane crash in the final days of

World War II on a Red Cross mission.

The dedication created a moment of nostalgia for some in the crowd,

and perhaps more importantly set an intergenerational tone of unity that

enabled the speaker to share with the Newport-Mesa Red Cross supporters a

number of significant anecdotes from her worldwide experience in the

realm of human rights.

From the far reaches of Indonesia, Kennedy-Cuomo shared the

heart-wrenching story of a young woman named Alicia whose village was

destroyed in a war for independence.

“Alicia was hiding in her house and could hear the soldiers outside

plotting to kill her. One of them said, ‘She lives here. Let’s go kill

her.’ Alicia hid in her house and managed to avoid certain death. When

the soldiers were gone, she fled into the woods, where she remained in

hiding until it was safe to return,” Kennedy-Cuomo said.

She went on to explain that Alicia eventually turned what was left of

her former home following a looting rampage into a shelter for other

victims.

“She was frightened, she had nothing left, and she still had the

humanity to give everything she had to help others. This is what the Red

Cross does. It comes at times of great trouble and it gives,”

Kennedy-Cuomo said.

A hush fell over the crowd as the speaker shared that Alicia was

eventually murdered by madmen. Her legacy of giving, however, remains an

inspiration for those whose lives she touched.

In keeping with the spirit of the occasion, which was to honor

outstanding local women, Kennedy-Cuomo shifted her address to concentrate

on the issue of international women’s rights -- particularly the problems

of sexual abuse. The ability to speak out is perhaps one of the finest

aspects of the American dream.

Red Cross event chairwoman Riach joined co-chair Nancy Snyder and a

host of prominent local women, including Marion Knott Montapert, Joan

Torres, Catherine Fishback, Joan Beall, Vicky Booth , Dee Higby, Julie

Hill, Sandy Sewell and Judy Swayne, in sponsoring, judging and presenting

the ninth annual Clara Barton awards.

The winners, selected from an impressive list of nominees all

deserving of recognition, were in the following categories: the arts,

Margaret Sprague; education, Cathey Kazanjy; environment, Shannon Tucker;

volunteer group, Assistance League of Santa Ana; health care, Dr. Laura

Mosqueda; humanitarian, Heidi Schnell-Cisneros; and personal achievement,

Suzanne Roberts.

In closing, Kennedy-Cuomo asked her audience to recognize the fact

that we are graced in life with many people who are richly and fully

human.

“In centuries past, we tended to view exceptional human beings as

saints,” she said, adding “Today, more than ever, we need people who are

fully human to stand up and speak out, to make a difference for

themselves, for their communities, for the nation, for all of mankind.”

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.