He felt called to start a meeting in another language to amend the damage caused in the addiction.

What started as an intuition in prayer and meditation one day at church, continued with a desire to make amends to those of another language and culture whom I objectified and wronged by starting a Spanish-speaking SA meeting in person. This desire has evolved over the past two years. Though Spanish is not my primary language, I have experience as a trusted servant in my faith tradition that was international in service. I am disposed to use one of the gifts of serving in another language among our SA fellowship.

On November 21, 2025, Fortaleza Los Angeles celebrated the second anniversary of its beginnings in the city of Long Beach, CA. I had shared my desire through discernment of God’s will with my sponsor. He forewarned me of being ready for the difficult times of starting a new meeting, where I may be alone in the meeting due to a lack of members. I consulted the SA delegate for the Latin American Region, Antonio S., about this possibility. He was helpful in sharing his experience, strength and hope of SA service among Spanish-speaking members. Thanks to SAICO during the pandemic, I had made contact with Eduardo and Martin of the Ya Rindete Fellowship Group of SA Arizona who were able to receive our Spanish-speaking inquirers by providing newcomer meetings and sponsors.

We began with three members and in a short while, we grew to seven regular members in the weekly meeting. There were a number of newcomers traveling from the neighboring cities and counties who came to our meeting and received orientation. As is a custom among many Latin SA fellowship groups, the question was asked as to what we would name ourselves. The name eventually evolved to be Fortaleza Los Angeles.

This fellowship has contributed to the service of two Spanish sessions at the SA International Convention in Los Angeles in 2024. We welcomed two members who came from Guatemala and Columbia, shared resources of our meetings, conducted an annual retreat on the Steps and provided access to literature. At an SA Unity Conference this year, some of our members contributed to the preparation of a 90-minute hybrid panel session: How to carry the message of SA recovery in the family?

However, there were developments in the lives and recovery process of a number of the group members and our numbers lessened.

At one point, my sponsor suggested using the phone to allow a hybrid mode of the meeting that helped the few members to continue our recovery as a group.

Though we are now four regular members in the group, I feel a strong bond through our experience, strength and hope shared. This has deepened and strengthened our unity as a group. Leading with our weakness has helped us find strength and courage to grow together in recovery through working and living the spiritual principles of the 12 Steps and Traditions of SA. Each of us shares a service role in carrying SA’s message locally.

Through listening to fellow members with much sobriety, I have been able to learn of many resources of the SA message being carried in Spanish. There is promising progress in the translation of SA-approved literature into Spanish. I realize now I make a living amends in another language which has deepened my experience of recovery and sobriety today.