Growing up, I had to fight to be seen and heard and when I eventually embraced sobriety, I had assumed the journey was finally over and I’d be fully accepted for who I am.
May 2023 |
6 minutes
I felt my identity as a bi-racial woman in recovery was completely erased, or even worse, used as a token example.
But I quickly found out this wasn’t the case. Too often, I felt my identity as a bi-racial woman in recovery was completely erased, or even worse, used as a token example. Being a bi-racial woman has often meant walking the line between two cultures and not quite belonging to either.
A diversity of backgrounds is essential to create a healthy, representative recovery journey.
But when it comes to my recovery journey, I wanted to be in the room and feel like I belonged. A diversity of backgrounds is essential to create a healthy, representative recovery journey.
There is a huge population of people of colour with histories of alcohol abuse and addiction, who have so much to offer.
There is a huge population of people of colour with histories of alcohol abuse and addiction*, who have so much to offer. So much of recovery involves making meaningful connections and having strong support networks. This is difficult if you feel like an outsider and your experiences aren’t being acknowledged.
Every person has a different experience of addiction, recovery and sobriety and it’s essential that we listen to and value these stories.
It’s also important to recognise that while some of the steps may be the same, everyone’s journey is unique. Every person has a different experience of addiction, recovery and sobriety and it’s essential that we listen to and value these stories. It’s also crucial to listen to, understand and make space for people of colour and those from marginalised backgrounds to tell their stories.
The more we do to make society truly inclusive and reflective of our diverse population, the more people of colour in recovery will be able to come forward, be seen and celebrated, and have the chance to find recovery on their own terms.
* Editor’s note: You can read more about the language used to talk about drinking problems, including the word ‘addiction’, here.
About the author
Yasmin Spark is the founder of Align Events, the UK’s first and only non-alcoholic mobile cocktail bar. Yasmin is passionate about stopping sober shaming and creating inclusive spaces for all to enjoy.
