People of Color and Allies

Types of AA Meetings

Big Book: California AA meetings often feature the Big Book. This text features stories about how women and men overcame alcohol use disorder and is used to inspire clients to build resilience.

Indigenous: AA centers may host groups made up of Indigenous communities. In these meetings, Indigenous peoples may speak their native language and incorporate traditional healing practices in their recovery.

Meditation: Meditation AA meetings feature physical and emotional calmness as a main method of healing. The meetings open with 15 minutes of private mediation and close with an additional 5 minutes of meditation.

Open: Open AA meetings in California are informative in nature, designed for those seeking help for alcohol addiction and anyone interested in learning about the 12 step recovery model. Members are encouraged to share their stories and provide tips for recovery, helping observers learn more about how the program works and what their loved ones can expect.

People of Color: People of color refers to individuals who do not identify as white/Caucasian. AA groups and meetings that are friendly to people of color provide safe spaces for ethnic minorities to meet and to discuss challenges and issues that impact their recovery.