By Maria Saporta
Mothers were celebrated at the 2023 International Women’s Day breakfast gathering of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta on March 8.
The location of the breakfast – the Carter Center – was particularly appropriate given former President Jimmy Carter’s commitment to the advancement of women, both during and after his presidency.
Paige Alexander, president and CEO of the Carter Center, invited her mother – Elaine Alexander, a longtime leader in the Jewish and civil rights sectors – to the breakfast. Sitting next to Elaine Alexander was Judy Langford, the mother of Jason Carter, the grandson of the former president who now chairs the board of the Carter Center.
“My mother was in the Carter administration,” Jason Carter said proudly during the breakfast.
Barbara Pierce Bush chats with Jason Carter before the March 8 breakfast at the Carter Center ((Photo by Kelly Jordan)
Langford, who was then married to Jason’s father Jack Carter, worked on women’s issues, including trying to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. She also served as the honorary chair of the President’s Advisory Committee for Women.
“My grandfather appointed more women to the federal bench than all the previous presidents combined,” said Jason Carter, also mentioning a book President Carter wrote in 2015: “Call to Action. Women, Religion, Violence, Power.”
Paige Alexander also reminded attendees that Carter established Women History Week, which became Women History Month. Everyone sent best wishes to President Carter, who recently entered hospice care at his home in Plains, Ga.
The keynote speaker of the breakfast was Barbara Pierce Bush, the daughter of former President George W. Bush and the granddaughter of the late President George H.W. Bush.
“We’ve been watching three generations of Bush women,” said Rickey Bevington, president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, referring to the late Barbara Bush, Laura Bush and Barbara Pierce…
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