You're listening to the Recovery Happy Hour, where we talk about life beyond the bottle and what happens after we stop drinking.

I'm your host Tricia and grape uncrustables are far superior to strawberry ones.

It's just a fact. Thank you for joining me today.

Today's episode is sponsor free so we will just get right into this.

Today's interview is with someone I met about a month ago.

Lazarus Letcher is a writer, musician, college professor, activist, and PhD student who lives in New Mexico.

LAS is also transgender, non-binary, queer, half Irish, half black, and sober for two and a half years.

The reason why I feel the need to point out that second part is somewhat of an identifier is because

there are so many aspects of various mainstream recovery programs that easily

accommodate someone who is cis gender and white where if you fall out of those two

categories there are not as many packaged and ready to experience opportunities

available. Something that Laz and I talk about is that addiction is an asshole.

It doesn't discriminate.

And in a successful recovery program where success is critically dependent on finding connection with other people, what do you do if none of those people can relate to you outside of addiction?

It can be a lonely and isolating place and sometimes even vulnerable and predatory.

I can't imagine personally having gone to a meeting or being in a Facebook accountability group

and not finding someone with a somewhat similar background as myself.

This is why it's so important to keep talking about diversity within the recovery community

and address any racism or sexism or any kind of is when we find it.

Because everyone who wants to get sober has a right to a successful shot at it

because of their differences, not in spite of their differences.

These are conversations that get shut down all too quickly when we bring up the privilege of

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