A Story of Recovery

Although his family had a history of alcoholism, Judge Kirkland did not appreciate his potential predisposition to it. Instead, he found himself floundering in college as he became a “fairly functioning” alcoholic while at Rice University. His grades suffered significantly. Thankfully, a group of professors helped him through, and he successfully obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree as the first in his family to graduate from college.

Judge Kirkland continued to struggle in his twenties, feeling shame about his drinking, then drinking more to suppress the shame. And while it may have been evident to others that he had a problem, he didn’t recognize it for himself for some time. Eventually, he got sober. And two years after getting sober, at the age of 26, Judge Kirkland considered attending law school. He had a great LSAT score but a terrible GPA, and it was one of his Rice professors who once again stepped in to help—this time by writing a letter of recommendation.

Although Judge Kirkland had problems with evictions and lost jobs in his younger years, all the stability pieces were now in place following years of developing healthier habits and patterns without alcohol. Judge Kirkland successfully obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center while working his way through law school as a paralegal at Texaco.

Judge Kirkland also began attending 12-step meetings and dealing with the “rigorous honesty” those meetings required as a gay man in alcohol recovery seeking to live life credibly.

In the mid-2000s, Judge Kirkland developed and implemented Houston’s Homeless Recovery Court. He never shied away from telling his story. And when an opponent later sought to use his history of alcoholism against him during a political campaign, Judge Kirkland chose to address the issue head-on and make it a more prominent part of his public persona. What followed were Judge Kirkland’s annual messages, which he used as an opportunity to encourage recovery to others, and a very open and honest “Addiction & Recovery” page on his website at judgestevenkirkland. com—a message that remains on his website to this day.

Ultimately, recovery did not mean all of Judge Kirkland’s problems suddenly disappeared. Instead, recovery provided him with the tools necessary to manage his problems. And now, when others talk to him about the difference his story has made in their lives, it is powerful feedback that helps him stay committed to sobriety. While it was never his intent to lead by example or provide a path to others, by opening himself to these wellness conversations, he has done just that.