Visionary, Nancy Kingwood-Small
Minister Nancy Kingwood-Small is the founder and visionary of the Nia Alliance. She founded this grassroots initiative in her home with the desire to raise awareness among the Black community about the impact of HIV/AIDS. The Nia Alliance is recognized on the local, state and national level as an effective agent equipped to address such issues as stigma, trauma and health disparities as root causes as driving forces of the AIDS epidemic. She has worked in the field of HIV Prevention for 20 years.
Over the years, Nancy has had a major role in framing the local faith community’s response to the AIDS epidemic. Under her leadership, over 60 minority churches have been recruited and engaged in HIV/AIDS services. She also shares the responsibility in planning local events and programs for the Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, a national program of the Balm in Gilead.
Nancy currently serves as the Deputy Director of HIV Services at the Greater Bridgeport Area Prevention Program (GBAPP) where she supervises a multi-disciplinary staff, providing outreach education to social service agencies and faith organizations. She ensures all clients are receiving assessable and appropriate services. Nancy is the Project Director of the Ashe HIV Faith Project a program of the Mount Aery Development Corporation. She also serves as an Associate Minister of the Mount Aery Baptist Church and was licensed by the Rev. Dr. Anthony L. Bennett. Nancy has worked as a national consultant for many years, specializing in capacity building, ministry and leadership development. She is the CEO of Sankofa Enterprises, Inc. specializing in ministry development.
Nancy is currently a doctoral candidate at Capella University in pursuit of a Doctorate of Philosophy with a concentration in community mobilization and engagement. She holds two degrees in Human Services and a Master of Science in Human Services with a concentration in Organizational Management and Leadership from Springfield College. Her Master thesis is entitled, Defining the Role of the Black Church in the Midst of the AIDS Crisis. She is a 2010 graduate and class president of the Black Ministries Program at Hartford Seminary. Nancy is also a 2012 graduate of the CT Health Foundation’s Fellows Program concentrating on health disparities as a social justice concern.
Nancy has facilitated workshops at national conferences sponsored by the following organizations:
- The Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- National Minority AIDS Council’s United States Conference on AIDS (USCA)
- The National Black Church Summit
- The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
- The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
- Joint Meeting on Adolescent Treatment
- The International AIDS Conference 2012
In 2010, Nancy had the honor to join the HIV and Women Congressional Briefing Committee to voice concerns of all women. The committee presented at the World AIDS Day Women of Color Congressional Briefing held in Washington, DC, on December 1, 2010, sponsored by Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
Nancy has been blessed to be the recipient of several community awards as nominated by her peers: Her Haven Project Award from Soroptimist of Bridgeport, Beacon of Hope Award from Mount Aery Baptist Church, and Local Hero Award from Bank of America.
Minister Kingwood-Small is married to Mr. Jimmy Small. She has three daughters, Natasha, Jasmine and Jocelyn. She has also been blessed with eight grandchildren.
“I am a servant walking in the footsteps of Christ. - NKS
Faith +Action = Results”