When your father is renowned “riverkeeper” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., environmental advocacy comes naturally, and family vacations are never dull. In September 2006, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, ’10 (far right), joined her dad (at oars) on a rafting trip down the Colorado River to raise awareness about water conservation. Their adventure is captured in Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D, which premiered this spring. Kennedy shared her thoughts on the experience.
What is it like being part of such an environmentally conscious family?
We’re always doing things like conserving light bulbs, and of course we get castigated if we litter. But the impact has been more in our love for nature. My dad has spent his whole fatherhood forcing us outdoors and not letting us come back in.
Is whitewater rafting a typical activity for your family?
We’ve gone on a lot of rafting trips in Chile, all around South America and in British Columbia. We never have a standard vacation—we always do something pretty wild.
What is your most vivid memory from this trip?
The canyon narrows so that by the end of the river you have these gigantic walls on each side of you. It’s one of those things that makes you realize that you’re really, really tiny.
What do you hope people will take away from the film?
It’s a story about our trip down the river, but the movie is really about water conservation. I hope it serves to kick off the issue like Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth did for climate change.
