Alcoholics Anonymous celebrated 79 years of work in Brazil with an open meeting to the community, held on the 4th at a group in Leblon, in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. For the first time in the country, the event featured translation into Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), representing a milestone in the inclusion of people with hearing impairments who face alcohol-related problems.
The meeting was held at 5:30 PM, at the Posto 11 group, located at Rua General Urquiza 128, rooms 201 and 202. The initiative sought to expand access for hearing-impaired individuals to Alcoholics Anonymous support services, offering an opportunity for welcoming a public historically excluded from this type of care.
The Local Services Office of Alcoholics Anonymous in Rio de Janeiro (ESL-RJ) is the body responsible for accessibility initiatives. According to the office director, the institution has been advancing year by year in the inclusion of people with disabilities, and its online events now already feature Libras interpreters.
In addition to Libras translation for in-person meetings, ESL-RJ offers through its Help Line information about which groups have infrastructure to accommodate wheelchair users, thus expanding the program's reach to different types of disabilities.