A.J. Guest Speaker at Oxford House World Convention

A.J. addressed the 11th World Convention of Oxford House at the Washington, DC Hyatt Hotel on September 5th on the subject, "The Importance of the Newcomer to AA." More than 600 delegates from across the country applauded A.J.'s conclusion that, "The relevance and effectiveness of AA will -- and should -- ultimately be judged by how successful we are with the newcomers who arrive on our doorstep looking for help." Most of those who quit AA do so in the first few weeks and so the newcomer experience is crucial not only to the newcomer, him or herself, but also to the sustainability of AA as an organization. "Every veteran AA member was a successful newcomer," A.J. said, "and that is why the newcomer has to be our top priority."

Download of A.J.'s full remarks are on the way and will appear on this page soon.