1. El Farolito (The Little Lamp) was founded in 1970 as the monthly Official Newsletter of The New Mexico Area Assembly of Alcoholics Anonymous (Area 46).

2. In March 2015, the Area Assembly voted to publish an anonymity-protected version of El Farolito on the Area 46 website while continuing to publish a confidential print version of the newsletter containing personal information to be mailed to groups and individuals.

3. The goal of El Farolito is to promote and enhance Unity (The Second Legacy) through interchange of information among Members, Groups, Districts and the Area Assembly.

4. The El Farolito Committee is a Standing Committee of Area 46 and its Chairperson is appointed by the Area Chairperson. The El Farolito Chairperson serves for a period of two (2) years beginning January 1st of odd-numbered years, in accordance with Section I.F.3.a.

5. It is highly desirable that each District and Group in Area 46 choose an El Farolito Representative to serve as a contact for the conduct of El Farolito business.

6. El Farolito Committee Chairpersons, past and current, are urged to share their experience with each other.

1. All AA Groups and meetings in Area 46 that want a print copy of El Farolito will receive it at no direct cost.

2. Groups who wish additional copies mailed may take advantage of the group subscription rates. If the Group wishes to designate part of their El Farolito group contribution(s) towards this cost that will be designated in the bookkeeping.

3. If possible, print copies of El Farolito should be distributed through the US Postal Service standard rate (formerly known as “bulk”) mail system.

4. Print copies of El Farolito should be mailed by the last day of each month prior to the newsletter issue month.

5. Subscriptions & Free distribution: If the ultimate goal of the Committee is to carry the message, we should encourage a distribution and subscription policy that gets the El Farolito into as many hands of AA members as possible with an eye towards the budget.

a. The price of a subscription should cover the cost of production and distribution as determined by a financial review by the El Farolito Committee on a yearly basis. The cost of a one or two-year subscription and Group Subscription is set by the committee and can be set at an amount that will create a surplus to help offset the overall cost and meet our goal of being fully self-supporting. Current price is listed in the El Farolito.

b. Shut-ins, handicapped, or AA’s who cannot easily attend AA meetings and are without internet access can receive El Farolito free by notifying the editor.

c. The Area 46 Officers, Area 46 Delegate and Alternate Delegate, Committee Chairs, District Committee Members, ELF Reps, GSO, AA Grapevine and current Southwest Regional Delegates receive El Farolito free. The updated list of Southwest Regional Delegates should be provided by the Alternate Delegate. In addition, past Area 46 Delegates receive El Farolito free.

d. Other AA newsletters can receive El Farolito at no cost on an exchange basis.

e. The Area 46 Registrar shall provide an updated spreadsheet each month of all active registered groups in Area 46 and their primary contact address.

1. The Area 46 Assembly has determined that all material appearing in El Farolito be from AA sources only.

2. Profane, derogatory, cruel or sarcastic material has no place in El Farolito and will not be included. Negativity and disunity are not conducive to Area unity, health or growth.

3. Matters of Area importance have priority in El Farolito. This includes information on the General Service Conference, Regional Forums, Regional Service Assemblies, Area Assemblies and Conventions, Area Trusted Servant meetings and Area Standing Committee activities. The highlights of Area Assemblies and other Area-level meetings should be published as soon as possible. Regular columns by Area Trusted Servants, especially by the Delegate and Area Chairperson, are strongly encouraged.

4. Other material suitable for publication in El Farolito may include the following:

a. District news, such as Committee meeting reports, information on new Groups and Central Offices/Intergroups, and the availability of District Services.

b. Group news, such as AA anniversaries, birthdays, contributions and special events.i.Sobriety anniversaries (Birthdays) to be included should cover not more than a three-month period and should not be published in advance.

c. Group announcements, Conferences, District flyers, etc. should be no larger than ½ page, with the exception of Area 46 Assemblies and Area 46 Conventions.

5. Letters and original writings, within AA Traditions, from individual AA members.

6. Reprints from the Grapevine/La Viña, Box 4-5-9, District or Central Office newsletters, newsletters from other AA Areas, cartoons, quips, poems, etc. Acknowledgement should be given to the source of the material.

7. Comments by the Editor, which ought to be infrequent, brief and to the point.

8. Full names, addresses and telephone numbers may appear in the confidential print version of El Farolito, with the consent of the individual concerned. It is recommended full contact information include the Area Delegate, Alternate Area Delegate, Area Officers and El Farolito Editor and appear in every issue. A list of the Area Standing Committee Chairpersons and DCMs should also be published in every issue. Sketches of the Area Maps should also be published occasionally.

9. The use of last names in El Farolito is permitted only with the express permission of the person concerned. An “AA Confidential” statement should appear in a prominent place in the newsletter, preferably on the page listing the information. The print version of El Farolito should be available only to members of the AA Fellowship.

10. Financial reports from Area 46 or El Farolito are not published in the Web version. Charts, graphs or other non-number specific graphics may be included.

11. The Linguistic District Report, the Bilingual Committee Report and the Delegate’s report should appear in El Farolito in both English and Spanish.

1. El Farolito should make every attempt to ensure that it is self-supporting in accordance with the Seventh Tradition. All AA Groups in Area 46 are strongly encouraged to contribute financially to El Farolito on a regular basis.

2. The El Farolito Committee Chairperson should present financial reports on the state of the newsletter to the Area Assembly at its regular meetings, and to the Area AA Fellowship as a whole in the pages of El Farolito, preferably on a monthly basis.

3. Submit, if the Committee is in possession of a bank account, monthly bank statements to the Area Treasurer and the Area Chairperson. The Committee’s account balance should be included in the Committee’s monthly El Farolito report. If the El FarolitoEditor is making the deposits and paying the expenses, the Area Treasurer or Finance Chair should be the one to open the bank statement.

4. It is recommended that, when possible, El Farolito establish a Prudent Reserve so that monthly publication is not interrupted.

5. It is recommended, when funds are available in the El Farolitoaccount, El Farolito fund the Editor’s travel expenses to attend the Southwest Regional Forum, and the Editor’s and Incoming Editor’s travel expenses to attend the Southwest Regional AA Service Assembly.