Sevetri Wilson Taylor and Sheena Allen sit down with Takema Robinson, activist, founder of the Standing in the Gap Fund, and executive producer of The Perfect Neighbor, the Netflix documentary that became the number one streaming film in the country.

Takema shares how a Freedom of Information Act request turned hundreds of hours of police body camera footage into a Sundance Award-winning film and a catalyst for national conversation about race, justice, and Stand Your Ground laws. She opens up about the personal grief behind the project — AJ Owens was her family friend — and how she transformed that loss into a promise to ensure the world would always know AJ's name.

She and Sevetri and Sheena break down what it means to use storytelling as a tool for healing, how art can change hearts and move policy, and why the Standing in the Gap Fund exists to support families impacted by racial violence long after the cameras stop rolling.

What You'll Take Away

This episode is for everyone who has ever asked what they can actually do with grief, outrage, or a story that needs to be told.

Takema Robinson did not just grieve the killing of Ajike Owens, she produced a film that reached millions, launched a fund to support other families, and built a movement around Stand Your Ground law reform. You will walk away understanding how a FOIA request became a Sundance-winning Netflix documentary, why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for both healing and systemic change, what the Standing in the Gap Fund does and why it matters beyond the film, and how to honor someone's legacy by turning grief into lasting purpose.

If you have been waiting for permission to use your platform, your pain, or your passion for something bigger, this conversation is that permission.