October 19, 2025
The Standing In The Hole Fund will help households impacted by gun violence.
The household of Ajike “AJ” Owens, the Black mom fatally shot by her white neighbor in Florida, refuse to let their beloved one’s loss of life go in useless.
Owens was shot and killed by Susan Lorincz at an Ocala condominium complicated in June 2023. Within the case that made nationwide headlines, Lorincz shot Owens by an condominium door throughout a dispute over the slain girl’s youngsters enjoying in entrance of her house. The stunning homicide was additionally featured on Netflix’s “The Excellent Neighbor” documentary, garnering extra consideration to Owens’ story.
Lorincz was convicted of manslaughter in 2024 and ordered to serve 25 years in state jail for the killing. Nevertheless, Owens’ household needs the legacy of the Black mom to be greater than justice served. Provided that their daughter’s life was taken by racially motivated gun violence, Owens’ mother and father have created their very own group to assist different households coping with such cases.
“No sentence or verdict can ever deliver full peace or accountability for what was taken from our household,” Dias advised CNN. “Our focus stays on honoring Ajike’s legacy by justice, therapeutic, and group care.”
Dias co-founded the Standing within the Hole fund with Takema Robinson. The fund gives “rapid-response grants” to households which have suffered from gun violence, whereas additionally selling gun reform coverage.
“What started as a response to unimaginable tragedy has grown right into a motion for justice, therapeutic and collective care. We imagine the trail to vary is twofold: take care of households right now and reform for tomorrow,” defined Robinson.
Gun violence nonetheless persists throughout America, with the Gun Violence Archive reporting over 11,000 shootings occurring simply this yr. Standing In The Hole’s mission stays essential to addressing this disaster. By 2027, they hope to develop their funding to offer grants to political organizers.
“The Fund was born out of that want – to remodel grief into motion,” continued Dias. “Supporting this fund isn’t charity – it’s group care in motion. Collectively, we are able to guarantee nobody else has to face within the hole alone.”
Nevertheless, Owens’ loss of life is greater than an occasion of gun violence. It additionally brings up the sample of racially motivated assaults that proceed to threaten Black folks within the U.S.
“My daughter and I’d typically have conversations about what we wished out of life, and he or she would inform me, ‘In the future the world will know my title,’” the grieving mom added. “My daughter’s story reminds the world that love might be louder than hate. We supply that love ahead in every thing we do – guaranteeing that her legacy is just not outlined by tragedy however by transformation.”
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