Nia Wilson

Nia Wilson aka “Mama Nia” has been a part of the SpiritHouse family since 2002. Nia is the daughter of Ronald and Elmira and the mother of Heather and Paul. Raised on Connecticut concrete and sand, Black soul and Campbell’s pork and beans, Nia is a gifted healer, story weaver and cultural alchemist, as well as the co-author and producer of SpiritHouse Inc’s original production “Collective Sun Reshape the Mourning.” She is a practical nurse who specialized in pediatric and psychiatric nursing, but found a much stronger calling working with teens and their families in drop- out, drug and pregnancy prevention. Nia, has been building community in Durham, North Carolina, since embracing it as home, in 1998. She currently serves as the Co-Director of SpiritHouse working with fellow artists, cultural workers and community members to assess, express and address their own needs. Nia was the 2015 recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. “Keeper of The Dream Award” from the Durham NC Martin Luther King Jr. Steering Committee, as well as receiving The Halo Community Service Award from Healing with CAARE in 2012. She has had several professional development opportunities including receiving training through Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (BOLD) directors track in 2011 & 2013 and Generative Somatics Somatics and Trauma in 2012. In addition to her work with SpiritHouse Nia has served as the Senior Advisor for Forward Justice Law Policy and Strategy Center based in Durham North Carolina since 2017.