“While I may be powerless to solve the globe’s problems, I am given all the power I need to make a difference to my community, my family, my job, my friends, and most importantly, to stay sober and help other alcoholics.” District 39, Woodinville, WA. Grapevine Daily Quote – January 30, 2025, from November 2013.
At the 70th General Service Conference in 2020, one of the agenda topics was to update with the pamphlet, A.A. for the Black and African American Alcoholic. The goal was to gather new stories and develop a more inclusive title for a new pamphlet. I was a General Service representative for my home group at that time. Dutifully attending Pre-Conferences and Area Business Quarterlies, that agenda item might have been the first to help me recognize that A.A. literature does change.
Some of you long term alcoholics may recall that 2020 was the start of a pandemic. PRAASA (Pacific Region A.A. Service Assembly) was just wrapping up as restrictions began. As I remember, members of ICYPAA (International Conference of Young People in A.A.) attending PRAASA were already versed in meeting online and formed a Sunday night meeting I began attending. I was inspired by what I experienced as a new level of service. Online meetings and service were difficult for some members, but online access carried for me a new message: my participation matters. I was elected to the District Committee Member position in December 2020 for Panel 71.
Through the Sunday night meeting, I heard about writing workshops members were leading, offering guidance for people to write for the pamphlet. Despite the pandemic still affecting participation in my District, I suggested that our and neighboring Districts host a writing workshop. Working with a Past Delegate from Area 58 (Oregon), then a member of the A.A. Grapeview with oversight on the pamphlet, and leadership from the Sunday meeting, we hosted at Greater Seattle Intergroup and hybrid, several workshops over the summer of 2021. I had to ask friends to cover for me at the last minute. I’d set up everything I could, but I had to give it over. Therein lies the beauty of A.A.; we don’t have to do this by ourselves.
Black in A.A., Experience Strength and Hope (P-51) is the result. I’m not interested in whether any of the stories written here were included. The success is in the participation. The success is in taking part in the process of making certain that the message of Alcoholics Anonymous is still here, and relevant, to the still suffering alcoholic. In my short time in A.A., new editions of the Twelve and Twelve no longer equate lust with rape or say that everyone wants to partner with a member of another sex. There is a translation of the Big Book into Plain Language which I know first-hand has opened the eyes of still suffering alcoholics.
Writing as Grapevine Literature chair, I now recognize that this is Twelfth Step work, to write down and share our contemporary stories.in the March 2025 issue of the Grapevine, there is a story of a man coming into the program in NYC at the height of the HIV pandemic. On the Grapevine app, stories are available to listen to, read by a female and a male voice actor. The voice reading of the HIV+ man’s story is the same voice that read an earlier story from a Kentucky farmer. I cried listening to both. We succeed when we stand together.
Jack J.
Grapevine and Literature Chair
