Session 442: Healing, Grief, & Community After Netflix’s 'The Perfect Neighbor'

Content Warning: There are mentions of racial violence in this episode. If you have sensitivities around this subject, I urge you to take breaks as needed, or step away if it becomes too difficult. In 2023, the murder of Ajike “AJ” Owens shook the country–another Black mother taken too soon in a moment of senseless and unnecessary violence. In the years since, AJ’s story as told on Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ has prompted a larger conversation around race, fear, Stand Your Ground laws, and the everyday realities and dangers Black families navigate in America and in their communities. But AJ was more than a victim of racial violence, she was a woman whose life was filled with love, ambition, and unapologetic hope for her children and her future. Today, I’m pleased to be joined by two women who are integral to carrying AJ’s story forward with courage and purpose. Pamela Dias, AJ’s mother and co-founder of the Standing in the Gap Fund, has turned unfathomable grief into a mission to protect families who face race-based violence and its aftermath. Here with Pamela is her co-founder Takema Robinson, producer, and advocate for racial justice who helped bring AJ’s story to the masses. In this conversation, we explore how their relationship formed, what it means to tell a story shaped by grief, and how storytelling, advocacy, and memory can become pathways to collective healing. We talk about community, justice, and the ongoing fight to ensure that AJ and so many others like her are not forgotten. About the Podcast The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves. Resources & Announcements You can now catch episodes of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast on YouTube . Be sure to subscribe to get new episodes every week. Did you know you can leave us a voice note with your questions for the podcast? If you have a question you'd like some feedback on, topics you'd like to hear covered, or want to suggest movies or books for us to review, drop us a message at memo.fm/therapyforblackgirls and let us know what’s on your mind. We just might share it on the podcast. Grab your copy of Sisterhood Heals. Where to Find Our Guests Watch 'The Perfect Neighbor' Standing in the Gap Fund Stay Connected Join us in over on Patreon where we're building community through our chats, connecting at Sunday Night Check-Ins, and soaking in the wisdom from exclusive series like Ask Dr. Joy and So, My Therapist Said. ​ Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it at therapyforblackgirls.com/mailbox . If you're looking for a therapist in your area, check out the directory at https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com/directory . Grab your copy of our guided affirmation and other TBG Merch at therapyforblackgirls.com/shop . The hashtag for the podcast is #TBGinSession . Make sure to follow us on social media: Twitter: @therapy4bgirls Instagram: @therapyforblackgirls Facebook: @therapyforblackgirls Our Production Team Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins Director of Podcast & Digital Content: Ellice Ellis Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.