Carter Center and Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers encourage sending appreciation and birthday wishes to #MrsCarterMakingHistory
ATLANTA (August 17, 2022) — As part of a celebration of former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s 95th birthday on August 18, The Carter Center and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers call attention to Mrs. Carter’s accomplishments and ongoing championing of causes that are increasingly relevant in today’s world.
“Mrs. Carter's leadership, vision, and warmth have positively impacted millions of Americans along with millions of people around the world,” said Paige Alexander, chief executive officer of The Carter Center. “She has been a pioneer in championing causes and policies and establishing resources to address them decades before they became mainstream. Her work to advance and destigmatize mental health has become increasingly relevant in the lives of people today.”
The Carter Center and RCI encourage admirers around the world to celebrate Mrs. Carter’s 95th birthday by sending her a birthday wish on social media using the hashtag #MrsCarterMakingHistory. They also encourage people to share their personal stories and experiences of the impact of Mrs. Carter’s work in these and other important policy areas.
“Mrs. Carter has always been ahead of her time. Whether it was raising caregiver issues to the national stage, fighting mental health stigma, or advancing women's rights, Mrs. Carter is a trailblazer,” said Dr. Jennifer Olsen, chief executive officer of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI). “It was her vision for ‘a more caring society’ that inspired the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers 35 years ago, and it is her leadership that still guides us. Today and every day, we celebrate her incredible accomplishments and her dedication to service. Happy 95th birthday to our hero and one of the world's most historic leaders!”
The Carter Center and RCI highlighted several causes that Mrs. Carter started championing long before they were widely recognized as important.
-Mental health. Perhaps no area has generated more passion and activism by Mrs. Carter than that of mental health. For over 50 years, Mrs. Carter has been a relentless champion of people with mental illnesses and the freedom to live a life of dignity and self-worth. She continues this crusade today through her work at The Carter Center, where she created the Center's Mental Health Program, established a Mental Health Task Force, and founded the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism.
-Over the course of her life, Mrs. Carter has had her own caregiving experiences and has heard from countless people around the world about theirs. That is why she founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers in 1987 and why she continues to be a champion for better individual and infrastructural supports for America’s 53 million caregivers.
-Women's rights. Born on the seventh anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, Mrs. Carter has always been a fervent supporter of women's rights and, along with former First Lady Betty Ford, was a vocal leader in the fight to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. She received the Award of Merit for Support of the Equal Rights Amendment from the National Organization for Women. Carter was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, only the third First Lady ever so honored.
-Vaccine education, inoculation and access. Over 30 years ago, Mrs. Carter and Betty Bumpers founded Every Child By Two (now Vaccinate Your Family), focusing on protecting all people in the U.S. from vaccine-preventable diseases. During the Carter administration, her advocacy resulted in increased federal support for vaccine programs nationwide and the passage of state laws requiring evidence of vaccinations for school entry.
Mrs. Carter was the first U.S. First Lady to establish an office in the East Wing of the White House and actively participate in White House Cabinet meetings. She was also the first sitting U.S. First Lady to address the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Carter Center and RCI noted Mrs. Carter’s many passions and accomplishments. She was an early advocate for the hospice movement and palliative care, serving as honorary chair of the Last Acts Campaign. Mrs. Carter is also an ardent environmentalist. An advocate for monarch butterfly conservation, she inspired the establishment of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail, a network of monarch-friendly public and private gardens across the United States and beyond.
“We are very thankful for Mrs. Carter’s continued passionate pursuit of actions and policies that continue to make a meaningful difference in everyday lives,” Alexander said. “We wish Rosalynn Carter a very happy 95th birthday!”
Contact: Rennie Sloan, [email protected]
Zach Carney, Brodeur Partners, [email protected]
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About The Carter Center
A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
About the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers was established in 1987 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to promote the health, strength, and resilience of caregivers throughout the United States. RCI fulfills its promise to champion the family caregiver by building cross-sector partnerships, developing and providing evidence-based programs and advocating for public policy.
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