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.
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