Environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will give SUNY-New Paltz’s Distinguished Speaker address on Monday, March 13. The address, entitled “Our Environmental Destiny,” will provide a reminder of the role that natural resources play “in our work, our health and our national identity.” Kennedy will speak in Lecture Center Room 100 at 7:30 p.m.
Kennedy is a well-known national figure whose reputation is closely aligned with local environmental issues that he has addressed over the years as chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and president of Waterkeeper Alliance. In 2010, he was named one of the “Heroes of the Planet” by Time Magazine for his success in both endeavors. Last year, Kennedy visited SUNY-New Paltz to eulogize his friend and mentor, Biology professor emeritus Heinz Meng.
More recently, Kennedy gained national attention and triggered a national outcry for agreeing to chair a “vaccine safety and scientific integrity” commission at the request of president Donald Trump. Kennedy has long espoused discredited links between vaccines and neurological disorders such as autism; he has been particularly critical of the US Centers for Disease Control, which recommends that children be vaccinated on a regular schedule.
The Distinguished Speaker Series is free to students. Advance tickets cost $10 for faculty, staff and community members. For further information and to reserve tickets, visit www.newpaltz.edu/speakerseries/ or call (845) 257-3880. Tickets may also be purchased at the Parker Theatre box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until March 12. Tickets will also be available in the Lecture Center lobby the evening of the event.
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