Key Takeaways
- Co-founded by Pamela Dias and Takema Robinson, the Standing in the Gap Fund supports families navigating the aftermath of racial violence.
- Expanded into film and art, the initiative supports the Sundance-winning documentary The Perfect Neighbor, which chronicles the story of Dias’ daughter, Ajike “AJ” Owens.
- With a goal to raise $12 million in funding by 2030, the initiative focuses on long-term support, mutual aid and policy advocacy rooted in community care.
The death of Ajike “AJ” Owens in 2023 sent shockwaves through communities nationwide. In the days following the tragedy, Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, and social justice strategist Takema Robinson turned mourning into movement with the creation of the Standing in the Gap Fund. Founded to honor Owens’ life and the countless others lost to racial violence, the fund channels loss into collective strength by using art, culture and action as tools for justice.
Standing in the Gap provides direct support to families and organizers navigating the aftermath of racial violence. Through grants and community partnerships, it aims to ease financial burdens and create pathways toward stability and renewal. For Dias, the mission is deeply personal. “My daughter used to say, ‘The world will know my name.’ I’m carrying her legacy forward to make sure it does. I refuse to let her story fade into silence,” she said. “Ajike’s life deserves to be remembered not just for the tragedy of her loss, but for the love, courage, and light she brought into this world. Through the Standing in the Gap Fund, we honor her by standing for every family who has faced this kind of injustice — making sure their stories are seen, their voices are heard, and their healing is not forgotten.”
Standing in the Gap’s reach extends into film and the arts. In collaboration with Message Pictures, SO’B Productions, and Park Pictures, the initiative supports The Perfect Neighbor as an arts and impact partner — operating independently to extend the conversation beyond the screen into real-world action. The Netflix documentary chronicles Owens’ story and the role of “stand your ground” laws in racial violence. The film premiered at Sundance, winning the Directing Award in the U.S. Documentary category. Beyond the screen, the fund hosted “Calling All Our Power Back to Us” at Art Basel Miami, an installation celebrating Black resilience through creative expression.
Building a framework for healing and racial justice by 2030
The fund aims to start distributing resources to families and organizers nationwide, with a goal of raising $12 million in support by 2030. “The Standing in the Gap Fund was created out of tragedy and necessity in 2023 — born from a moment of unbearable loss and built on the Black traditions that have always sustained us: mutual aid, community care and radical love,” Robinson explained. “It’s not enough to grieve; we have to organize, resource and demand change. This fund exists to provide real support to families and organizers impacted by racial violence while also pushing for the policy reforms our communities deserve. It’s about turning our collective care into collective power.”
Readers can support Ajike’s children through their official GoFundMe or donate directly to the Standing in the Gap Fund to help continue its mission of justice and cultural renewal.