Conversation with Carolyn Johnson

Since arriving in Sarasota in 1974 from Cleveland, Ohio, Carolyn Johnson has been a part of the community through volunteer work. Her resume of causes includes Planned Parenthood and the Ringling College Library Association, and she was part of the board of directors for the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art that coordinated projects for the restoration of Ca d’Zan. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 8 SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence) honored Johnson with the 2015 Boundary Crosser award. At 70, her goal is to continue to be part of the solution for issues that arise in Sarasota. 

How did you first get involved in Sarasota?

I started doing volunteer work from the time I arrived (in Sarasota), and it came partly from my dad. He was president of the New College Association, and he was active in the community. When they had a teacher’s strike, he went in and taught at Sarasota High School. He always was active.

I had two sons at Pine View School, and I was on the PTO and became chair for a couple of years. They didn’t have high school soccer. Soccer was the most common sport for kids to play when they were little, but there were no high school soccer teams. There was football, tennis, swimming. We got busy and got a petition with 500 names on it and went down to the school board and raised some money and got it done.

Why do you volunteer your time?

To me volunteer work is really a privilege, to be able to have the time. I don’t have to work to support myself right now. I’m not super wealthy, but I’m comfortable right now to give my time, which is really the most valuable thing that you have — your time. I’m really happy to see that my children are following in that vein as well. They’re really getting involved.

Why did you join the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art board of directors during the early '90s?

Out of the blue in 1992, Liz Lindsey, who is a long-time friend of mine reached out to me. Liz had connections to Gov. Lawton Chiles, and they were looking for community volunteers to serve on the Ringling Museum board. 
I did not even belong to the museum when they asked me to serve on that board. I’m sure that director David Ebitz thought, ‘Who is this lady?’ but I ended up serving on that board for 12 years. It’s one of the treasured houses of the country...
My mother had been a docent at the Ringling museum. She was an artist, and she really cared. I knew from her how neglected the museum was and also how priceless the collection was.

Why did you decide to get involved with Planned Parenthood as the chair of the board of directors in 2011?

The real major job that I have now is Planned Parenthood. I’m very committed to women’s health. It comes partly from my life experiences. My first appointment with an OBGYN as a young woman was at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. My mother was a strong believer in that and so was my grandmother because they had seen what life was like before birth control and how poor people really suffered over lack of control of their lives. I was engaged to be married, I was 20 years old and my mother took me to Planned Parenthood.

What is your response to the recent criticism of Planned Parenthood?
 
The abortion part of [Planned Parenthood] is such a small part. Just recently, what’s been happening in the past two months, is really deceitful. They’ve tried to paint Planned Parenthood as being anti-life, which is crazy. We try to prevent abortions. We’re the ones doing birth control, that try to prevent abortions… I think it’s really important for women to have the choices and seek the medical ability they need. I’m certainly not against children, but I want them to be loved, cared for, wanted and needed.

What are some local issues that you take a stance on?

I am absolutely opposed to the dredging of Big Pass. I’ve lived here long enough and watched the problems at Midnight Pass. I sail so I know that that bar shifts out there. Every time we go out it’s different. There’s no way they can control what they do out there. To me that’s just a gross waste of money...I think the homeless thing is another issue that disturbs me. We need to come to some conclusions about it and do something — not just talk about it. I don’t think traffic is that much of an issue. So we live with congestion for a month of the year. Around Easter time, it’s bad. But I don’t think we should tear up the whole world to solve that. I don’t want to see another bridge across the bay.

What is your definition of a boundary-crosser?

It’s a person who is willing to try to serve their community in a lot of different ways. Someone who has multiple interests. Someone who isn’t afraid to maybe step out there and take on things that are controversial or problematic.