This is the second time I have experienced the loss of a client’s founder. Rosalynn Carter was my most illustrious non-profit founder and by no means a “regular” social sector leader that I was privileged to be in service to an organizational entity and its vision. I first met the Carters over fifteen years ago when President Carter gave a keynote address at the American Academy of Religion, elucidating how he, First Lady Rosalynn and The Carter Center staff were committing a major focus of their work to equity and empowerment of women and girls across the world.

Several years later, I had the honor of meeting both First Lady Rosalynn and President Carter at a reception for Habitat for Humanity International when I was working on a national initiative focused on community collaboration and economic development. It was an honor to have the international housing organization on my consulting practice roster. Both she and her husband embodied profound service and commitment to peace and justice and it was rather extraordinary to meet these iconic humanitarians. I was struck with how humble, gentle, and very sweet they both were. 

Over the past 18 months, I’ve been serving as a consultant to the Rosalynn Carter Center for Caregiving, a social sector organization established in 1987 focused on supporting the unique needs of caregivers who “selflessly care for family and friends; and build on the belief that everyone is a caregiver now, has been a caregiver or will either be or need a caregiver in the future.” [RCI website] There are more than 53 million people who serve as unpaid caregivers in the United States alone. 

In hearing of First Lady Carter’s passing this past weekend, I was profoundly struck with how one crafts a life that truly represents the various stages of opportunities in one’s life. She was considered to be one of the most politically active First Ladies since Eleanor Roosevelt.

The Rosalynn Carter Center for Caregiving was formed on the abiding belief that mental health parity and focusing on the challenges of family caregiving in the US was an unrecognized and under-resourced problem. She once opined:  “do what you can to show you care about other people, and you will make our world a better place.” There is no doubt that this world is a far better place because of Mrs. Carter’s caring heart. https://rosalynncarter.org/

For First Lady Rosalynn, there was a consistent revelation of how one maneuvers various roles which respond to social challenges, global responsibility and community needs. What we learn from our engagement with MEA is the essential understanding of how we imagine, discover and manifest our lives reflective of our callings. With the passing of such an iconic humanitarian it feels particularly prescient to recognize the power of what we are exploring in the teachings of MEA. And how a well-lived life is full of changes, evolution and service. 

I hope everyone has an enjoyable and rejuvenating Thanksgiving holiday.  

-Dr. Diane Johnson

Diane J. Johnson, Ph.D. is CEO/founder of Mmapeu Consulting, a national organizational development and change management firm.  She is delighted to be a co-designer and co-facilitator of the Black MEA, the second iteration of BMEA to occur in June 2024.