Niki Lopez is an award-winning Afro-Latina interdisciplinary visual artist, curator, and social practitioner based in South Florida.
She is the founder of What’s Your Elephant™, a community-driven arts movement and nonprofit that creates spaces for dialogue, reflection, and creative expression around unspoken experiences.
Through her work, Niki blends visual storytelling, cultural programming, and community engagement—using art as a bridge for connection, awareness, and social impact.
Niki Lopez is an Afro-Latina, queer interdisciplinary visual artist, curator, and social practitioner whose work centers art as a tool for reflection, dialogue, and transformation. Known for her vibrant mixed-media work and mask-based practice, she explores identity, spirituality, healing, and cultural symbolism through visual storytelling.
She is the founder of What’s Your Elephant™, an arts movement and 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses exhibitions, workshops, and interactive experiences to address unspoken topics and create spaces for community connection.
With nearly two decades of experience, Niki has curated and produced large-scale exhibitions and cultural programs that integrate visual art, performance, and community engagement. Her work extends into cultural placemaking, collaborating with organizations, municipalities, and institutions to create meaningful, community-centered experiences.
Her work has been presented across South Florida and beyond, including collaborations with organizations such as the Broward Cultural Division, Children’s Services Council of Broward, AHF, and Arts4All Florida.
Niki’s work has been recognized with honors including the Nguzo Saba Award for Kuumba (Creativity), the Commitment to a Cause Philanthropy Award from Our Fund Foundation, Pioneer of the Year (BLACC + SPARK), Broward County’s Arts & Culture Visionaries Award, and recognition by the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women.
She is also the creator and host of The Circle, a podcast and storytelling platform featuring over 250 episodes with creatives, activists, and community leaders.
Through all of her work, Niki Lopez continues to create spaces where art becomes a catalyst for connection, expression, and collective care.
Recognized for her work in art, community engagement, and social impact.
2025
Nguzo Saba Award Honoree for Kuumba (Creativity)
African American Research Library & Cultural Center
Finalist – Best Arts Nonprofit of the Year
211 Broward
2024
Commitment to a Cause Philanthropy Award
Our Fund Foundation
2023
Pioneer of the Year
BLACC + SPARK
Women’s History Month Honoree
Broward County Commission on the Status of Women
2020
Broward County Arts & Culture Visionaries Award
ArtServe
2020–2021
Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow Nominee
2004
Louis E. Peters Memorial Service Award (Humanitarian Award)
Using art to foster dialogue, amplify marginalized voices, and create spaces for community connection and care.
Niki collaborates with cultural institutions, grassroots initiatives, and nonprofits across South Florida, including the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, Broward Housing Authority (HACFL), Arts United, Equality Florida, and the World AIDS Museum.
Her work supports fundraising, community engagement, and creative platforms centered on equity, identity, and social justice.
She is also a co-founder of Artists for Black Lives Matter and a founding member of 1310 Bandits, a nationally recognized, award-winning collective of predominantly LGBTQ filmmakers.
Our Fund Foundation
