In a time of rising fear, political uncertainty, and deep fatigue, DRUUMM invites all souls into a bold and grounding public worship experience. Guest preacher Rev. Summer Albayati and music director Rev. Verdis L. Robinson will lead us in a visionary call to courage, resilience, and collective spiritual discipline. “We Ride at Dawn” evokes the sacred resolve of those who have come before us—our ancestors moved by divine clarity, reminding us that liberation has always required people of faith to show up, again and again for a love that demands freedom.
DRUUMM’s annual public worship, open to all people, centers the Spirits that call us into sustained struggle, into long-haul justice shaped by community, song, and holy resistance. Join us—wherever you are—for a powerful, multiracial gathering of courage and conviction, and experience a worship service designed to steady our hearts and strengthen our resolve for the work ahead. Your support through offering and sponsorship sustains our multicultural ministry. Register and donate at druumm.org/events.
Guest Preacher: Rev. Summer Albayati
Rev. Summer Albayati (she/her/hiya) is a Muslim Unitarian Universalist minister of Iraqi descent, a longtime leader in DRUUMM, and a professional Arabic drummer who has been performing since the age of twelve. Her ministry integrates music, anti-racism work, and the cultivation of spiritual belonging for communities navigating multiple identities.
Summer has worked as an educator with marginalized communities—including Indigenous communities—and is the founder of a nonprofit that supports orphans in Iraq. She is also a contributor to several Skinner House books, including Centering, Seeds of a New Way, and Beyond Welcome, where her writing explores anti-racism, interfaith identity, and the presence of SWANA peoples in Unitarian Universalism.
Within DRUUMM she co-leads the SWANA Caucus and has helped organize collective spiritual witness, including the Gaza vigils in 2023. She currently serves as Congregational Life Field Staff for the Pacific Western Region of the UUA and also officiates weddings through Muslims for Progressive Values.
Summer’s ministry weaves together rhythm, justice, and spiritual courage—inviting communities to practice faith that is rooted, liberatory, and deeply alive.
Music Director: Rev. Verdis L. Robinson
Rev. Verdis Robinson is a Unitarian Universalist minister, musician, and worship leader whose ministry bridges music, justice, and spiritual formation. A lifelong artist and community builder, Verdis brings deep experience in Black sacred music traditions, improvisational jazz, and congregational songleading. Their work centers on creating worship spaces that invite participation, healing, and collective imagination.
Verdis has served UU congregations and national ministries in roles focused on music leadership, spiritual care, and liberation-centered worship. Known for their warmth, humor, and musical versatility, they help communities discover the power of music as a spiritual practice—one that connects people across cultures and histories.
In DRUUMM spaces, Verdis contributes a powerful musical presence that helps ground gatherings in joy, resilience, and the living traditions of BIPOC Unitarian Universalists.
