Reverend Summer Albayati (she/her) is a UU Muslim of Iraqi descent who has been playing the Arabic drum professionally since the age of 12. Rev. Summer is currently on the staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). She earned her Master’s in Divinity from Claremont School of Theology, and before coming to UUA she served most recently for over eight years as minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Kern County in Costa Mesa, California. In serving congregations, her focus was on transformation by emphasizing that a mission-focused congregation increases vitality, membership, and commitment to justice and love. Rev. Summer co-hosts a podcast with her son called “The Bayat Beat,” a commentary on society and culture, with an emphasis on social justice. She also has a chapter in the anthology, Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity and Power in Ministry, published by Skinner House, and is currently working on a book regarding Islam, the Qur’an, and Liberation Theology. Rev. Summer serves as our primary contact in the Pacific Western Region of the UUA. </p> <p> For more about Rev. Summer, go to: <a href="https://www.uua.org/offices/people/summer-albayati">https://www.uua.org/offices/people/summer-albayati </a> </p>