Kaniya Walker is a native of Virginia who recently moved to Washington, DC 6 years ago after living in Atlanta, Ga for 10 years and wanting to change her life around. Kaniya went to Norfolk State University majoring in Psychology, but her passion is working with working with marginalized groups of people; LGBTQIA+ community, people living with HIV/AIDS, women of color and individuals experiencing homelessness. She is the lead of the Linkage to Care Team at Heart to Hand Inc. located in Largo, Md the only black lead organization public health HIV/AIDS organization in the county that concentrates on the needs of marginalized communities. Kaniya facilitates a trans support group at Heart to Hand called “Transcendence “. The group focuses on the empowerment of transwomen of color trying to navigate through this crazy world.

Kaniya has been featured in articles with the American Civil Liberties Union on the decriminalization of sex work as well as the Insider, Washington Blade and many more, targeting the struggles of transwomen of color. Kaniya also was featured on WUSA9 News around trans violence in the DMV area as well as being featured in a Public Health campaign #CancelHIV for Prince George’s County. She is also a community organizer leading the Prince George’s County Trans Day of Remembrance, Trans Day of Visibility, Trans Testing Day and many more events around marginalized communities in the county. She also sits on the board of both National Trans organizations, as well as local organizations. Kaniya is always ready to stand on the frontline fighting for the rights of her community and is truly for the empowerment of all women of color.

Kaniya has truly discovered her passion based upon her own life experiences and wants to change the world for generations after her.