A history of community and cultural significance
The Roundup serves as:
A touchstone for newly sober LGBTQ people, especially those who feel alienated in traditional AA spaces
A healing space for those recovering from religious trauma, discrimination, or isolation
A reunion for long-timers, who share decades of wisdom and often sponsor across generations
A place of creative expression, where art, humor, and identity enrich the recovery message
A beacon for inclusive AA principles: anonymity, love, and acceptance
For many attendees, the Roundup is one of the few times they feel fully seen as both sober and queer. Many form life-changing connections, find sponsors or sponsees, and return annually as part of their sober anniversary ritual.
“It made me proud to be both sober and gay.”
“I used to think sobriety meant becoming ‘respectable’—toning down my flamboyance, my past, my queerness. But at the Roundup, I saw people fully themselves: sober, loud, tender, glitter-covered, and deeply spiritual. That was the weekend I realized I didn’t have to shrink to stay sober.”
— Damon, 37, 6 years sober
Origins & Evolution
While the exact founding year varies depending on how early gatherings are counted, the NY Roundup as a formal event began to take shape in the 1990s, inspired by similar events in other cities like:
Came to Believe Roundup (Los Angeles)
Living Sober Conference (San Francisco)
Boston Roundup
New York’s LGBTQ AA community had already established a strong identity through home groups like Acceptance, Staying Alive, Live and Let Live, and Mustard Seed. The idea for the Roundup emerged from a desire to:
Provide community beyond weekly meetings
Create space for LGBTQ-focused recovery topics
Celebrate queer recovery culture through joy, creativity, and service
Support outreach to newcomers and isolated LGBTQ alcoholics
Today, the Roundup is a significant event that attracts participants from across the five boroughs, nearby states, and even international visitors.
“It reminded me why I stay.”
“I’ve been sober a long time. Sometimes I drift from meetings or get caught up in work. But the Roundup reminds me why I stay in AA: the connection, the love, the sense of service. Every time I attend, it’s like I hit a spiritual reset.”
— Pat, 56, 28 years sober
Organization & Affiliation
While the Roundup is not officially part of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, it closely adheres to AA’s 12 Traditions and is run by a steering committee of trusted servants—LGBTQ AA members who rotate roles annually.
It’s a nonprofit endeavor, often run on suggested donations and sliding-scale registration fees. Scholarships are available to ensure no one is turned away due to lack of funds.
The Roundup sometimes collaborates with:
Al-Anon LGBTQ groups
Sober LGBTQ clubs (e.g., The Loft, The Phoenix)
HIV/AIDS wellness organizations
Queer and trans advocacy groups within recovery
“I found my sponsor at the Roundup.”
“I’d bounced around meetings for a few months, always listening but never connecting. Then I went to a workshop at the Roundup about intimacy in recovery. Something clicked. After the meeting, I spoke to one of the panelists, and she later became my sponsor. She was the first queer woman I’d met who talked about trauma and recovery with such honesty. That weekend changed the course of my sobriety.”
— Dana, 26, 1 year sober