Rev. Qiyamah, our guest preacher states, “In the earlier years of my life I was stumbling and fumbling around with little awareness – almost clueless. As a late bloomer, my mid life phase resembled my southern grandmother’s patch work quilts that she reclaimed from scraps of material. She recycled her quilts from worn out clothes, curtains and other rejects and throw-a-ways. As a young Black girl growing up in this country, I was told I was not enough – not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough. And, like my grandmothers quilts, I have taken the pieces of my life and reassembled them to make something fabulous and unique – me! Going on a journey of healing and transformation I have labored in the vineyard of Unitarian Universalism for thirty years, fifteen years as a minister. I have embraced my inherent worth and dignity. I claim the power of my hard won truths, and I live my life knowing something greater than myself brought me through the tumultuous times. I cannot help but believe in an existence beyond myself and what I call that and how I refer to that has changed over time as I evolved and transformed. My life has become a journey of gratitude, wonder and grace. At seventy-four years of age I have seen and experienced the unexplainable and reveled in transcendent moments. I have slayed some demons to arrive at this point in my life. And I have also been rescued from a few. All that I do now is part of my legacy work to highlight the presence of Black UU women and girls and to widen the circle and embrace of UUism. I am truly blessed to share my odyssey!”