La Cultura Cura: Latino Culture, Shared Experiences, and Recovery in Northern Californian Anexos

ABSTRACT

This article examines the anexo’s use of Latino culture and shared experiences to promote recovery and its appeal to 1.5- and second-generation Latinos. Anexos are grassroots recovery groups with origins in Mexico that offer a residential Alcoholics Anonymous program in Latino communities. Data were gathered from a two-year (2014–2016) ethnographic study of anexos in Northern California and were analyzed thematically. Despite having access to publicly funded treatment, many 1.5- and second-generation Latinos accessed anexos based on cultural familiarity, shared experiences, and a desire to recuperate cultural practices lost during their substance use.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcoholics anonymous
• anexos
• 1.5-and second-generation Latinos
• immigration
• substance use disorders

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse under Grant1 R21 DA037380-01.