Vania is the curator of the Westward Bound: African American Country Music History & Cowboy Lore exhibit, which includes a comprehensive collection of artifacts, photographs, and items on display at the Berkeley Public Library in California. Also, her curatorial experience includes working with the Artistic Director at the 2020 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada on an exhibit at the Western Folklife Center called African American Western Pioneers: Past and Present. She has worked on many other projects including The Real Wild West Docuseries on CuriosityStream and will be launching new projects in 2025.

Vania's commitment to education and community engagement is reflected in her active involvement in various initiatives and curating the Dom Flemons collection at Vanderbilt University. In 2023, Vania Kinard was elected to the Board of Directors of Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) and she is currently serving as an Advisory Board Member for the Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI). She is part of an active alumni network that includes the Barack Obama Foundation, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and Public Policy International Affairs (PPIA). 

Vania was born in LA and grew up in Guam, San Diego, and Chicago’s North Shore before attending college in Washington, D.C. Although she was raised in a military family, her roots trace back to Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, and Virginia. She is passionate about preserving her family legacy which includes, black cowboys, western pioneers, farmers, preachers, teachers, and veterans. Plus, Vania has spent many years documenting her family story by conducting oral history interviews, genealogy research, and organizing her family archives.

In 2017, Vania Kinard and Dom Flemons got married in Washington, D.C., and in 2018 they welcomed their daughter Cheyanne Love Kinard-Flemons. In 2020, they relocated to the Chicago area and currently call Naperville their home. During her free time, she enjoys listening to vinyl records, watching documentaries, creating video content, photography, nature walks, cooking, yoga, interior design, and vintage fashion. She is passionate about building bridges in the roots music community and helping artists with special projects.