History of the AADI Deaf Intergroup of Central Texas

1. Roots in the Deaf Access Committee (DAC) — 2010s

For many years, Deaf and Hard‑of‑Hearing AA members in Central Texas relied on the Deaf Access Committee (DAC), a volunteer service effort supported by local AA groups.

DAC’s purpose was simple but essential:

• coordinate qualified ASL interpreters

• ensure Deaf AA members could attend the meetings of their choice

• use 7th Tradition contributions from AA groups to fund interpreter access

Over eight years, DAC consistently provided interpreters and helped build a stronger Deaf AA presence in Austin and the surrounding area. As more Deaf AA members became active in home groups, sponsorship, and service, the need for a more formal structure grew.

2. Transition to a New AA Entity — 2018

Because of continued growth, DAC voted to reorganize as a full AA service body—similar to Spanish‑language Intergroups or the Online Intergroup.

On November 1, 2018, the Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf Intergroup of Central Texas officially filed as a Texas Domestic Nonprofit Corporation, marking its formal establishment as an AA service entity.

• Filing Date: Nov 1, 2018

• Type: Domestic Nonprofit Corporation

• Status: Active / In Existence

Texas State ID: 803159974  

This step allowed the new Intergroup to:

• operate independently

• manage contributions

• coordinate interpreter services

• maintain Deaf‑accessible meeting information

• support Deaf AA groups and newcomers across Central Texas

3. Purpose and Mission

From its founding, AADI’s mission has been to make AA fully accessible in ASL by:

• providing interpreters for AA meetings

• maintaining a calendar of interpreted and Deaf‑led meetings serving Deaf AA members across the Central Texas region

• AADI functions similarly to other linguistic or cultural Intergroups in AA, but with a focus on accessibility, language, and Deaf culture.

4. Community Impact

The creation of AADI strengthened the Deaf AA community by:

• increasing consistent access to meetings

• supporting Deaf AA members in sponsorship and service

• building a network ready to welcome newcomers

• ensuring AA’s message is available clearly, directly, and in ASL

Local AA service bodies—including the Hill Country Intergroup—supported the transition and recognized the importance of Deaf accessibility in AA.