Zakia K. McKensey says she is taking her life-saving message of HIV prevention, cancer awareness and a healthier lifestyle “to the streets.”

In order to do so more effectively, the transgender woman says she formed the nonprofit Nationz Foundation in May. It operates under the theme: “We Aim to Inspire.”

The organization held a grand opening last month at its headquarters at 1200 Bentley St. on North Side.

Among Nationz’s outreach efforts, Ms. McKensey says she and other volunteers pro-actively are “disseminating information and safe sex items to combat the virus.”

Ms. McKensey says they have distributed more than 3,000 condoms in the community.

“We have programs that make access to testing (for HIV and communicable diseases) easy,” she says.

She currently serves in a volunteer capacity with Nationz. She works full time as a disease intervention specialist at the Richmond City Health District.

She says fighting HIV and cancer are personal battles for her.

“A good friend of mine died from HIV and my grandmother and aunt passed away from cancer,” Ms. McKensey says. “Many friends of mine also are dealing with this virus, and having conversations about it will help to educate the community and erase the stigma related to it.”

Nationz also opens a food pantry on the first and third Friday of each month and posts job fairs and other community news on its Facebook page.

Ms. McKensey says she is seeking more volunteers to assist the nonprofit, and encourages those interested to come by the group’s headquarters.

Let’s meet this week’s Personality, Zakia K. McKensey:

Date and place of birth: December 1972 in Richmond.

Current home: Richmond’s North Side.

Education: Completed the Centers for Disease Control’s Introduction to Sexually Transmitted Disease Intervention, as well as Advanced Sexually Transmitted Disease Intervention, and I am a certified HIV test counselor. I am currently working on an associate degree in human services.

No. 1 objective of the foundation: To implement testing programs in the community and dispel myths about HIV and initiate positive conversations regarding HIV prevention and education in an effort to reduce rates of new HIV infections.

Strategy to achieve this: Be visible to make the community aware of the services available, and lots of street outreach. Street outreach is important for an agency because it helps engage the community and builds a relationship with community members so they will feel comfortable accessing services.

Our services are needed because: HIV/AIDS is still affecting our community. There are so many individuals who are lost to care or are clueless to their status due to lack of testing. Nationz Foundation wants to meet those individuals where they are and help them gain access to health care as well as make testing options more accessible to them.

Programs we provide are: HIV testing, linkage to care, transportation services, food pantry, transgender sensitivity training and other education, prevention and holistic services.

Our financial support comes from: Donations and kindness of community-minded individuals. We have a GoFundMe account for donations through our website, www.nationzfoundationrva.org.

We could do so much more if: We had the funding and manpower to get the work done. We want the word spread about the services we offer to the community to combat hunger, HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

The No. 1 way to prevent HIV or STI’s is: To abstain from sex, but we know that people are having sex. To remain HIV/STI free, use protection and get tested. The tests for HIV are painless and you can have your results in 20 minutes. In an effort to reduce sexually transmitted infection, we distribute condoms at local clubs and bars, as well as in the community.

On a scale from 1 to 10, the HIV/AIDs problem in Richmond is: A 10 because people are afraid to get tested and there also are many people who have been diagnosed with HIV and are lost to care. By them not accessing care or afraid to test, this increases the rate of infection in the city. We are seeing an increase in newly diagnosed men who sleep with men between the ages of 18 and 35. Testing and linkage to care is important and Nationz Foundation is committed to linking newly diagnosed individuals to care, as well as attending medical appointments with the clients to offer support and encouragement.

It is important for us to distribute condoms in the community because: Everyone may not be able to afford them and distributing them will help reduce rates of HIV and STIs. You can’t look at a person and tell if he or she is infected. Practicing safe sex and access to testing are the sure ways to reduce rates.

Nobody knows: I’m very critical of myself and set high standards for myself. I’m my worst critic.

Best late-night snack: Barbeque wings from 7-Eleven baked hard.

I unwind by: Watching TV with a glass of wine or traveling with family and friends.

I am most motivated by: My passion to help others and make a difference for my community. I love the city of Richmond and I want to make a difference and leave a legacy that will continue to be a help to those in need long after I am gone.

Three words that best describe me would be: Outspoken, determined and passionate, three characteristics of an amazing advocate.

What makes me laugh most: Is my coworker Zina Boyd Thompson. Her spirit is infectious. We laugh all the time and it’s awesome.

The person who influences me the most is: Shawn Patrick McNulty. He saw something in me more than 15 years ago and he introduced me to the field of HIV prevention and education at Fan Free Clinic. He has mentored me as well as offered advice and assistance and has inspired me to believe that I can be and achieve anything I set my mind to do. Another friend, J.J. Smith, has influenced me to eat better, drink more water and be more aware of my weight and change my eating habits to live healthier and longer.

I am currently reading: “Grant Writing for Dummies” by Dr. Beverly A. Browning.

If I had more time: I would travel more and spend more time with my family.

My next goal is: To get the word out that the foundation is open as well as seek funding to support the agency and begin to hire staff.