The Second Tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous says, “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”

Growing up in the 1990s with a learning disability wasn’t something people talked about openly. Back then, kids like me were often pulled out of class for special help or given something called an Individualized Education Plan — an IEP. I didn’t understand what that meant at the time, but I knew it made me different. The label followed me through school, and so did the quiet embarrassment that came with it.