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Kennedy Institute Newsletter | WINTER 2022
FROM THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Hello friends,

Happy New Year from the Kennedy Institute! We see the new year as a fresh opportunity to advance our mission of educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy and civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of leaders. We are continuing this commitment by delivering educational programs to groups both in our building as well as virtually, while the pandemic continues.

We note that this month marks the one year anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol, a dark time in our country's recent history that showed how democracy is fragile, and only emphasizes the need for civic education as a crucial part of securing our future as a democratic nation. 2022 also marks the 60th anniversary of Senator Kennedy's election into the United States Senate, and we will be celebrating this anniversary through a variety of programs and activities throughout the year.

As we celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday, the Kennedy Institute remembers his words: “Voting is the foundation stone of political action." Senator Kennedy had a longstanding commitment to securing voting rights through steadfast, bipartisan efforts. Whether he was fighting to abolish the poll tax, lower the federal voting age to 18 years old, or ensuring that citizens of all abilities and backgrounds had access to the polls, Senator Kennedy played a significant role in each Voting Rights Act reauthorization to date. However, serious threats to the voting rights of millions of Americans are sadly not a thing of the past, as we outlined in our MLK Day blog post ([link removed]) . You can read more about our new exhibit, Standing Up for Democracy, on the history and current state of voting rights in this country, within this newsletter.

Sincerely,

Sue Heilman
Interim Executive Director
RECENT NEWS | stay informed
Delivering virtual and in-person school programs


Building off the Kennedy Institute’s success in 2021 of delivering educational programs to school groups across the state and country, we are excited to continue to offer immersive civics programming both in person and online throughout 2022. We have embraced the flexibility of the virtual delivery of our educational programs and offer students and educators from across the country (and the world) a convenient and engaging way to learn about the Senate in a virtual field trip.

In person, we kicked off a return to our in-person programs by welcoming students from the MET School into our replica Senate Chamber to discuss environmental policy and the Green New Deal, as well as student groups from UMass Boston.

We love that our institution can serve as a catalyst for connecting elected officials with the next generation of leaders. Just last month, Representative Russell Holmes welcomed students ([link removed]) from the Margarita Muñiz Academy and spoke to them about the importance of representation. In addition, Representative Patrick O’Connor greeted students (/Users/caroline.burke/Documents/Communications/On%20the%20Point/January%202022/•%09VRK%20sworn%20in%20as%20ambassador%20at%20institute,%20named%20president%20emerita) from Marshfield High School and spoke to them about the importance of being true to yourself and listening to other people’s points of view. The Kennedy Institute is honored to connect Massachusetts state legislators with students from their district visiting for an educational program.
As always, our programs remain free of charge for students from Massachusetts public schools, thanks to generous support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and our other generous donors.
In order to continue delivering first-class, nonpartisan programs to as many educators as possible, the Kennedy Institute has launched a campaign to reach teachers more directly with our civic education offerings. Through the creation of new, educator-focused social media channels, we will be sharing our interactive educational offerings, offering topical programs that can be applied virtually or in-person, and better engage with educators and other civic education organizations to reach today’s students.

For interested educators – or those of you who know teachers looking for high-quality, nonpartisan educational resources – we invite you to follow us on
Twitter ([link removed]) , Facebook ([link removed]) , and Instagram ([link removed]) .
ANNUAL EVENT | honoring leadership
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Annual Award for Inspired Leadership honors Moderna and Pfizer

On December 2nd, we were proud to present theEdward M. Kennedy Award for Inspired Leadership ([link removed]) to two deserving leaders: Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna and Albert Bourla DVM, PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer.

Like Senator Kennedy, our honorees model exemplary leadership, inspiring others to action, and making a difference through service to the community. The Award presentation took place in the Kennedy Institute’s replica of the Senate Chamber for a virtual audience and included a dynamic fireside chat led by NBC News’ Kristen Welker. Special thanks to Co-Founder Ambassador Victoria Reggie Kennedy, Board Chair Bruce Percelay and Annual Dinner Chair Anne Finucane for their poignant remarks.

The Annual Dinner raised significant funds to support the continuation of our educational programs, and we would like to once again thank all of our
sponsors who so kindly contributed ([link removed]) .

Read some coverage from the program: NBC News: Pfizer could have vaccine data for kids under age 5 by year-end, CEO says ([link removed]) . You can view pictures from the event here ([link removed]) .

RECENT PROGRAMS | in case you missed it
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Getting to the Point on Immigration and Refugees

On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Kennedy Institute hosted a Getting to the Point program on Immigration and Refugees, a timely conversation with leading immigration experts and activists focused on the current state of immigration in the United States, the global phenomenon of forced displacement, and the historic plight of refugees around the world.

Moderated by Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston and Kennedy Institute board member, the conversation included Dr. Carolina Jiménez Sandoval from the Washington Office on Latin America and JC Hendrickson from the International Rescue Committee, who discussed immigration and the movement of refugees from both an American and global perspective, with connections to Central America, Haiti, and Afghanistan.
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From Speeches to Tweets: Why Presidential Rhetoric Matters

On Thursday, October 21, 2021, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate hosted former presidential speech writers from both sides of the aisle for a discussion on the importance of word choice by the President of the United States and how presidential communications have changed over time. Moderated by Tamara Keith, White House Correspondent for NPR and co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, the conversation included Ambassador Carolyn Curiel, former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton; Cody Keenan, former chief speechwriter for President Barack Obama and Kennedy Institute board member; and John McConnell, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. The conversation touched on the differences of presidents’ speechwriting and speech-giving styles, and the impact presidential rhetoric has on news reporting.
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Ireland, the EU, and the US Relationship in 2021 and Beyond

On Thursday, November 18, the Kennedy Institute and the Consulate General of Ireland hosted a compelling program about the relationship between the European Union and the United States, how Ireland can play a positive role in sustaining it, and why the transatlantic partnership is still needed in 2021 - and beyond.

Moderated by Dr. Robert Mauro, Director of the Global Leadership Institute at Boston College, the conversation featured Ambassador Bobby McDonagh, author and Former Irish Ambassador to the EU, UK, and Italy; Tom Wright, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings Institute; and Fiona Creed, Lead Faculty, Global Studies & International Relations, Northeastern University.
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Stone Social Impact Forum with Nicholas Kristof

On Tuesday, December 13, 2021, the Kennedy Institute and JFK Library Foundation hosted Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and world-renowned journalist, for the virtual Fall 2021 Stone Social Impact Forum. Known for his reporting on human rights and giving a voice to the voiceless around the world, Mr. Kristof shared his experiences and discussed his most recent publication, “Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope” (2020).

In conversation with his wife and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Sheryl WuDunn, Mr. Kristof outlined the crisis in working-class America while also focusing on solutions to mend a half-century of governmental failure. The conversation touched on the personal stories and tragic endings of the people with whom Kristof grew up – about a quarter of the children on his old school bus died in adulthood from drugs, alcohol, suicide, or reckless accidents. While these particular stories unfolded in Oregon, they are representative of many places across the country.

The Stone Social Impact Forum is a joint initiative of the Kennedy Institute and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, generously supported by the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation.
OTHER NEWS | learn more
Victoria Reggie Kennedy sworn in as Ambassador at Kennedy Institute, named Board President Emerita


The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United State Senate was proud to be the site selected by co-founder Victoria Reggie Kennedy for her swearing in as the United States Ambassador to Austria. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer administered her Oath of Office at the Institute on November 16, 2021.

In explaining why she selected the full-scale replica of the U.S. Senate Chamber at the Institute as the place to be sworn in as Ambassador to Austria, Ambassador Kennedy said: “Issues of war and peace, civil rights, human rights, environmental rights, workers’ rights, women’s rights, the Marshall Plan, NATO and its alliances and partnerships, trade, nuclear nonproliferation – all of these were negotiated and wrestled within the Senate Chamber as part of the work of diplomacy.”

With her appointment as Ambassador, Mrs. Kennedy has been named to the new honorary position of President Emerita of the Kennedy Institute. Read more about the swearing in ceremony
here ([link removed])
.

New Voting Rights Exhibit: Standing Up For Democracy


We are so happy to debut a new exhibit that furthers our mission with engaging and thought-provoking content for our in-person educational groups. Standing Up for Democracy ([link removed]) is a new exhibit at the Kennedy Institute that considers our nation’s long and difficult history securing voting rights for all Americans and highlights the work that Senator Ted Kennedy and his colleagues invested over the decades to ensure that everyone’s democratic voice is heard. The exhibit also draws attention to current challenges to voting rights, whether that be access to the polls, barriers to voting, or unfair districting, and spotlights those who are making a difference today.

YOUR SUPPORT | make a difference
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Not Yet a Member of the Kennedy Institute? You Should Be!

We want to thank you for being a loyal reader of our On The Point newsletter – and encourage you to take the next step of becoming a Member of the Kennedy Institute. Here are three reasons why you should become a Member today:
1. As a Member, you get advance notice of all upcoming programs and the opportunity to register ahead of the general public. This will be an especially valuable benefit as events return to in-person and should we ever need to cap registration for a specific event because of potential logistical or technical factors.

2. Membership gives you exclusive access to Members-only programs and events. Examples include our Real Life Civics: Traditions and Norms program that explores topics such as the filibuster, seniority in the Senate, traditions that have been broken (or redefined) by presidents, and the independence of the judiciary.

3. Members help ensure that our public programs remain free and open to the public and live as a digital resource on our website for continued use and discussion.

Become a Member today! Our basic memberships start at $25 for students and educators, $47 for individuals, and $75 for households. You can join online or mail payment directly to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, 210 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02125.
Become a Member ([link removed])

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