Does “Sober” Mean “White?” Collegiate Recovery, Racial Justice, and Decolonization

Limited numbers of colleges have programs supporting students in recovery from substance use disorders. Representation in collegiate recovery programs tends to be overwhelmingly white, highlighting racial disparity in access to and use of such programs. ACPA’s Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization offers a tool for grounding our work with students in critical consciousness, radical democracy, and humanization in ways that allow us to confront the privilege and oppression often found in recovery. Join us in exploring how to challenge racism and white supremacy in collegiate recovery to better support BIPOC students in recovery.

Learning Objectives:

1. Outline relevant demographic data related to collegiate recovery participation.
2. Consider the intersections of substance use disorder, collegiate recovery, and racial identity.
3. Articulate the ways in which systemic oppression, particularly racism and white supremacy, manifest in recovery, in general, and collegiate recovery efforts, in particular.
4. Develop strategies from ACPA’s Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization to better support the personal and academic success of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students in recovery.