Dear Beloved DRUUMM Community,
It is with heavy and tender hearts that we share the passing of our dear sibling, Amanda Thomas of Chicago, who died earlier this month, joining the ancestors after complications from cancer. Amanda was surrounded by loving care, and her wife Heather has shared the deep sorrow and love that accompanied Amanda’s final hours. We know this news comes as a shock to many, and we want to create space for grief, remembrance, and celebration of Amanda’s remarkable life.
Amanda will be missed beyond words. And yet, we believe—deeply—that her love lives on in us. As her wife Heather wrote to the world: “I plan to celebrate her life every day from now until I too join the ancestors.”
Amanda was a bright light in our DRUUMM and wider UU communities. She was a longtime member of DRUUMM who gave of her many gifts—musically, spiritually, and relationally.
Rev. Katie Romano Griffin from our chaplain team reflected on how she was fierce, loving, talented, and kind, never one to put up with any foolishness. Amanda had a way of telling the truth plainly, of calling people in and lifting them up, and of accompanying us on our journeys with wisdom and joy.
Many of us will remember Amanda’s leadership and presence in Chicagoland, where she helped organize vibrant in-person gatherings for BIPOC UUs.
One particularly memorable moment was the pre-pandemic gathering of more than 75 people at Meadville Lombard, celebrating the retirement of Rev. Dr. Michelle Bentley. Amanda helped to make that day shine with hospitality and spirit. She also served as our musical artist for multiple DRUUMM Worship events, curating and uplifting new and young voices from across the diaspora. Her voice carried the emotion of our shared struggles and the hope of our collective liberation. She had the rare gift of drawing people into community through song and spirit.
Her voice and love call us now to care for each other, especially her beloved wife Heather, her family, and her closest friends. May we companion one another in our grief. May we cheer each other on, speak truth in love, and live with joy and purpose—carrying Amanda’s fierce grace forward in our own living.
As a community, DRUUMM is holding this grief collectively. We are here with open hearts, listening ears, and ready hands. Amanda’s life reminds us that there will always be music. There will always be movement. And even in the depths of loss, there will always be love.
In shared sorrow and sacred remembrance,
Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons
Community Minister, DRUUMM
