August 13, 2020

Dear ERUUF Community,

Co-creating and leading the Beloved Community Chorus for almost five years has been a deep joy during my time in Durham. Over the past few months since we have moved to online worship, I, like many others, have had to adjust to virtual work. For me, that is for my healing justice work, my work at ERUUF, and supporting our child's learning. I had made a decision to pause my role as director of the Beloved Community Chorus and revisit the role when it is safe to return to worship in person.

Since making that decision, our family has decided to move out of the Durham area, and this is moving faster than we imagined. Due to the pandemic and uprising for Black lives, my spouse Mykal has felt a draw back home to Atlanta to be with his family, especially his mother and sisters. We started exploring this possibility, and it's moving faster than we imagined. We will be moving to the Atlanta area at the end of August.

I am in communication with ERUUF's worship staff about ways that I can be a part of the process of supporting the music program through uncertainty. Whatever is next for ERUUF in terms of worship and music will certainly be fueled by deep love and the energy that it takes to be on the journey of justice and true inclusion. I am grateful for the time that I have spent with this congregation, especially for the beautiful community of the Beloved Community Chorus and the intergenerational music many of us have been able to bring to the congregation. We are sad to say goodbye, and will certainly be back to visit!

LeLaina Romero, Ph.D.
she /her /hers