The Black Effect Presents... If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes!

In this episode of If You Knew Better, Amber Grimes welcomes LaShawnda Woodard aka "Mama Durk" for a deeply personal conversation about teen motherhood, grief, trauma, and healing [00:00]. LaShawnda reflects on becoming a young mother [01:44], lessons she later understood from her own mom [03:51], supporting Lil Durk’s music dreams [05:49], and raising each child according to their individual needs [07:01]. She remembers her oldest son D-Thang [09:00], opens up about living with grief after his death [09:55], and shares her struggles with depression and isolation [13:58]. Amber challenges LaShawnda’s self-blame while discussing the importance of community [19:42], before LaShawnda speaks candidly about surviving sexual assault [21:59], encouraging other survivors to speak up and seek help [28:42] as they explore lingering trauma [30:27] and finding language for painful experiences [30:58].

Amber encourages LaShawnda to give herself grace [32:23], examining parenting through pain [32:58], accountability versus blame [33:40], and faith and forgiveness [36:00]. LaShawnda discusses sharing her story through 7220 [37:05] and surviving an attempted assault as a teenager [38:11], while Amber reinforces that survivors are not responsible for the harm done to them [40:56] and encourages her to release the weight she has carried [41:55]. They reflect on how children remember their upbringing differently [45:19], learning to acknowledge the good alongside the mistakes [48:44], and LaShawnda’s final memories with D-Thang [50:55]. The episode closes with a challenge to rediscover joy [53:11], understand how trauma can freeze us in time [56:13], reconnect with community [57:09], and continue the journey toward healing [58:15]. 

Ask or Share with Amber:withambergrimes@gmail.com

Follow Amber Grimes on Instagram:

@ambergrimes

Follow LaShawnda Woodard:

@real_mswoo

Get Amber's Newsletter on Substack

Watch This Episode on Youtube Thursday at 6pm ET 

Follow Amber's Book Club 

Get Amber's Book Club Merch 

Read Amber's Favorite Books

 

O.P. Date: September 8, 2026

The Black Effect Presents... If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes!
In this episode of&nbsp;If You Knew Better, Amber Grimes welcomes LaShawnda Woodard aka "Mama Durk" for a deeply personal conversation about teen motherhood, grief, trauma, and healing [00:00]. LaShawnda reflects on becoming a young mother [01:44], lessons she later understood from her own mom [03:51], supporting Lil Durk&rsquo;s music dreams [05:49], and raising each child according to their individual needs [07:01]. She remembers her oldest son D-Thang [09:00], opens up about living with grief after his death [09:55], and shares her struggles with depression and isolation [13:58]. Amber challenges LaShawnda&rsquo;s self-blame while discussing the importance of community&nbsp;[19:42], before LaShawnda speaks candidly about surviving sexual assault [21:59], encouraging other survivors to speak up and seek help [28:42]&nbsp;as they explore lingering trauma [30:27]&nbsp;and finding language for painful experiences [30:58].
Amber encourages LaShawnda to give herself grace [32:23], examining parenting through pain [32:58], accountability versus blame [33:40], and faith and forgiveness [36:00]. LaShawnda discusses sharing her story through 7220&nbsp;[37:05]&nbsp;and surviving an attempted assault as a teenager [38:11], while Amber reinforces that survivors are not responsible for the harm done to them [40:56]&nbsp;and encourages her to release the weight she has carried [41:55]. They reflect on how children remember their upbringing differently [45:19], learning to acknowledge the good alongside the mistakes [48:44], and LaShawnda&rsquo;s final memories with D-Thang&nbsp;[50:55]. The episode closes with a challenge to rediscover joy [53:11], understand how trauma can freeze us in time [56:13], reconnect with community [57:09], and continue the journey toward healing [58:15].&nbsp;
Ask or Share with Amber: <a href="mailto:withambergrimes@gmail.com" data-ogsc="">withambergrimes@gmail.com</a>
Follow Amber Grimes on Instagram:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ambergrimes">@ambergrimes</a>
Follow LaShawnda Woodard:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/https://www.instagram.com/real_mswoo">@real_mswoo</a>
<a href="https://substack.com/@withambergrimes">Get Amber's Newsletter on Substack</a>
<a href="https://youtube.com/@iykbetter?si=WMEDSWNJOsxlRkD0">Watch This Episode on Youtube Thursday at 6pm ET&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ambersbookclub/">Follow Amber's Book Club </a>
<a href="https://ambersbookclub.com/collections/hats">Get Amber's Book Club Merch&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://a.co/d/01GreLFP">Read Amber's Favorite Books</a>
&nbsp;
O.P. Date: September 8, 2026

You can’t rewrite the past — but you can learn from it. Amber Grimes did exactly that, going from college dropout to Executive Vice President in the entertainment industry with no map, just mistakes and lessons that turned into power moves.

 

If You Knew Better is where Amber shares that wisdom — alongside artists, creatives, and culture-shifters who open up about the missteps they made, the mindsets that changed everything, and the game they wish they knew sooner.

 

Together, they unpack the highs, the lows, and the pivots in life, career, and relationships — so you either don’t have to go through it, or can move smarter when you do.

 

Every episode delivers real talk, hard-won insight, and practical gems to help you grow into the version of yourself that knows better… and does better.

You can&rsquo;t rewrite the past &mdash; but you can learn from it. Amber Grimes did exactly that, going from college dropout to Executive Vice President in the entertainment industry with no map, just mistakes and lessons that turned into power moves.
&nbsp;
If You Knew Better is where Amber shares that wisdom &mdash; alongside artists, creatives, and culture-shifters who open up about the missteps they made, the mindsets that changed everything, and the game they wish they knew sooner.
&nbsp;
Together, they unpack the highs, the lows, and the pivots in life, career, and relationships &mdash; so you either don&rsquo;t have to go through it, or can move smarter when you do.
&nbsp;
Every episode delivers real talk, hard-won insight, and practical gems to help you grow into the version of yourself that knows better&hellip; and does better.

If You Knew Better with Amber Grimes

If You Knew Better: Lil Durk's Mom LaShawnda Woodard Knows the Hardest Person to Forgive Is Yourself

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7e2ac27a-3a41-4d8b-b423-b4bf0008e6d8/transcript