Accent Speaker’s Bureau planned on welcoming former first lady Rosalynn Carter to the Phillips Center for Performing Arts on Tuesday night, but she was sick and stayed in Plains, Georgia.
Her husband, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, stepped in to address a packed audience of UF students and Gainesville locals.
“I know all of you are disappointed that my wife is not here,” Carter said.
On his wife’s behalf, Carter spoke primarily about how prevalent mental illness is and why its stigma should be recognized. His ideas mirrored those in his wife’s book, “Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis.”
The event began at 8 p.m., and just minutes before 7:45 p.m., tickets sold out.
Carter has been out of office for 34 years. Despite not having the money or influence that comes along with a presidential title, Carter said he and his wife still travel around the world to educate foreign diplomats about mental health.
When they visit other countries, Carter said his wife always wants to start a conversation about improving mental health care.
“The main thing she wants to talk about is mental health, and she does it,” he said.
Marissa Hartman, a UF family, youth and community sciences senior, said she was impressed by Carter’s articulate presentation. She said his speech and following mediated discussion with Dr. Nancy Hardt, the director for UF Health Disparities and Service Learning Projects, compelled her to research more about The Carter Center when she got home.
Hartman said she found Carter’s comments about Rosalynn endearing.
“You can tell he really cares about his wife,” the 23-year-old said.
Hartman, who identifies as a Republican, said her conservative friends berated her about going to Carter’s presentation.
Hartman told them she didn’t want to miss seeing a former president, regardless of his political affiliation. She said she ended up agreeing with what he said about mental illness.
“It affects everyone,” she said.
But Lizzie Lunior, a UF psychology and women’s studies senior, said she was disappointed Carter “glossed over how difficult it is to deal with mental illness.”
Lunior said she thought Carter reinforced the idea that mental illness is genetic.
“It also has a great deal to do with our environment and the power systems within our society,” the 22-year-old said.
When Carter spoke, he referred back to Rosalynn’s prewritten speech.
“These illnesses do not discriminate,” he read, speaking about his own family members who have overcome their illnesses by seeking treatment.
Kathy Cornette, 52, said Carter was the first president she voted for.
“I loved everything he represented, and he’s still my favorite president,” said Cornette, who lives in Waldo.
While Lunior said she didn’t support the way Carter explained mental illness, she did like that he offered solutions, such as valuing mental health in the same way Americans do physical well-being.
“Everybody deserves empathy and a community to support them,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 - 4 on 4/1/2015 under the headline “Jimmy Carter subs for wife, speaks about mental health”]
Former President Jimmy Carter speaks at Tuesday’s Accent event at the Phillips Center in place of his wife Rosalynn, who could not attend because she was ill. Carter discussed mental health issues with Dr. Nancy Hardt, answered Twitter questions and read lines from his wife’s mental health speech. “She dreams of a day when stigma is gone,” he said.
