McKinstry's parents, who prioritized education and shielded their children from racial violence in Birmingham; her father was a strict schoolteacher, and her mother was a more relaxed schoolteacher.

McKinstry's maternal grandparents, who provided her with spiritual guidance and love; her grandmother was strong and protective, and her grandfather was a respected preacher.

Carolyn's husband, who provided her with support and love during her struggles with trauma and depression, remaining committed despite difficulties.

The four girls killed in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, whose tragic deaths highlighted the racial violence in Birmingham and impacted McKinstry significantly.