Dear Reader,
When I came into Alcoholics Anonymous and recovery, one statement stood out immediately:
"The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking."
What a powerful idea. It places AA squarely in the midst of a world burdened with social, political, and spiritual injustice. It opens the door to the invisible, the downtrodden, and the enslaved — declaring they are worthy of healing and hope. No pedigree required. Just a desire.
As Bill Wilson once said:
“We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful.”
This kind of belonging speaks not only to recovery but to humanity at large. It’s echoed in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
“The poor in our country have been shut out of our minds, and driven from the mainstream of our societies because we have allowed them to become invisible.”
Today, I noticed something that disturbed me. While browsing BrainyQuote — a widely used website for inspirational and notable quotes — I discovered there was no topic listed for "Racism."
That absence speaks loudly.
Yes, perhaps the site is curated to be advertiser-friendly or overly focused on general positivity. But to exclude racism as a topic is, in itself, a form of erasure. Silence can be complicity. As Rosa Parks once noted:
“Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.”
And Maya Angelou wisely warned:
“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.”
“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.”
Ibram X. Kendi put it plainly:
“The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it — and then dismantle it.”
But this reflection isn’t just about race. The principle of inclusion in AA goes beyond ethnicity or nationality. It extends to all who find themselves on the margins: men and women, rich and poor, gay or straight, trans or questioning, homeless or affluent, religious or atheist. All are welcome.
As Eleanor Roosevelt said:
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home... Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.”
Scripture offers its own powerful witness:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” — Galatians 3:28
“He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him... black and white, bond and free, male and female...” — 2 Nephi 26:33 (Book of Mormon)
As Ruth Bader Ginsburg reminded us:
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
So let’s speak up — in our communities, in the rooms of recovery, in our writing, and in our daily lives. Question what is absent. Question why some words and topics are missing from our platforms. Then form an opinion, grounded in love, and share it boldly.
Other Sources of Inspiration
“Indifference is dangerous, whether innocent or not. Behind every form of discrimination lies a refusal to acknowledge the dignity of others.” — Pope Francis
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” — Audre Lorde
“Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry — it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.” — Coretta Scott King
“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” — Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:40)
“Ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain... For behold, are we not all beggars?” — Mosiah 4:16,19 (Book of Mormon)
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