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.

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). 

In 2017, Vania Kinard and Dom Flemons got married and they are based in the Chicagoland area with their daughter Cheyanne Love Kinard-Flemons. 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 within her network and collaborating on special projects.