Niki Lopez Creative

10/11/2026

Still taking Friday night in. ❤️

Shades of Black began with time to gather, connect, explore the art and community tables, and settle into the space before we welcomed everyone into the film program.

We heard from Afro Pride Federation and Black Alphabet, then shared seven films centering Black LGBTQ+ stories across identity, family, creativity, health, memory, resilience and joy.

As the films played, I looked around the theater and realized we had a full house. That moment made me smile.

For the third year, I had the honor of producing and coordinating Shades of Black for Afro Pride Federation / South Florida Black Pride through Niki Lopez Creative. This year brought an unexpected pivot too, and I stepped into moderating our Beyond the Screen: Community Chat.

Our panelists shared honestly, the audience leaned in, asked questions, laughed with us and stayed engaged.

Afterward, people told me how much they appreciated the films, the range of stories, the art, the conversation and the care that went into the evening. One person spoke about how much knowledge they walked away with for the price of a ticket. Another shared gratitude that, alongside the weekend’s celebrations, there was also space for film, art and meaningful conversation.

That meant a lot.

I also loved that the night continued at Chocolate City Bar & Grill, whose owner, Marcele Bassett, had just joined our conversation about supporting one another and our community spaces.

Thank you to everyone who screened work, shared art, spoke, partnered, sponsored, promoted, volunteered, supported and simply showed up.

And thank you to everyone who trusted us with your Friday night.

This is why spaces like Shades of Black matter. ❤️

Daymeon Jones
Afro Pride Federation
Black Alphabet
Black Alphabet Film Festival
Niki Lopez Creative
Niki Lopez ~ Artist. Curator.
Chocolate City Bar & Grill 🏳️‍🌈

10/08/2026

🎬 What does it take to feel at home in your own body when the world keeps telling you who you’re supposed to be?

Chestbound, directed by Janine Anne Uyanga, explores identity, self-expression, and the complexities of navigating gender expectations.

Some stories ask us to look beyond what we see and listen to what someone is experiencing.

This is one of those stories. And tomorrow, you’ll have a chance to experience it on the big screen.

Join us for Chestbound at the Shades of Black Film Showcase.

📅 TOMORROW, Friday, October 9 | 6–10 PM
📍 Victory Black Box Theatre | Fort Lauderdale
🎟️ $10 Early Bird Tickets
🔗 http://bit.ly/SOB26FilmShowcase
(link also in bio)

Film | Art | Community Chat

10/07/2026

We’ve shared the films. We’ve shared the artists. We’ve shared the trailers.

But this is the part we don’t want to get lost in the promotion.

Shades of Black matters because Black LGBTQ+ stories still deserve more spaces where they are not an afterthought, a special category, or one voice among many. They deserve to be centered.

This Friday, we’re bringing together film, visual art, memory, identity, health, creativity, resilience, and community conversation in one room.

And while Shades of Black centers Black LGBTQ+ stories and creative voices, everyone is welcome to be part of the experience.

🎬 Friday, Oct. 9 | 6–10 PM
📍 Victory Black Box Theatre, Fort Lauderdale
🎟 Early Bird Tickets: $10
🔗 http://bit.ly/SOB26FilmShowcase

Come for the films. Stay for the conversation. Celebrate the culture.

10/07/2026

🎬 South Florida stories deserve a place on the screen, and so do the filmmakers creating them.

Local filmmaker Nastassia Dillon brings Sea Salt to this year’s Shades of Black Film Showcase.

It may be the shortest film in our lineup at just under two minutes, but sometimes a story doesn’t need much time to leave something with you.

No trailer for this one. You’ll have to experience it with us Friday. 👀

📅 Friday, October 9 | 6–10 PM
📍 Victory Black Box Theatre | Fort Lauderdale
🎟️ $10 Early Bird Tickets
🔗 http://bit.ly/SOB26FilmShowcase
(LINK ALSO IN BIO)

Film | Art | Community Chat

10/06/2026

🎬 Who gets to preserve our stories if we don’t tell them ourselves?

Tapestry: Reclaiming Our Past centers the voices and lived experiences of Black same-gender-loving men across generations.

Identity. Love. Health. Spirituality. Aging. Advocacy. The things we’ve survived, the communities we’ve built and the stories that deserve to be remembered.

At Shades of Black, we’ll share a special excerpt from Tapestry, presented by Ujima Men’s Collective.

This is living history. And it’s part of what you’ll experience Friday night.

📅 THIS FRIDAY, October 9 | 6–10 PM
📍 Victory Black Box Theatre | Fort Lauderdale
🎟️ Early Bird Tickets: $10
🔗 bit.ly/SOB26FilmShowcase

Film | Art | Community Chat

Daymeon Jones
Ujima Men’s Collective
Black Alphabet
Executive Producer: Lorenzo Robertson
Community Partner: Chocolate City Bar & Grill 🏳️‍🌈

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

🎬 What does it mean to be Black, gay and Southern, and to tell your own story on your own terms?
Southern Sonshine brings together poetry, music and personal storytelling as Black gay men reflect on Southern identity, HIV, healthcare, faith, stigma, resilience, joy and legacy.

There are stories we don’t get to see nearly enough on screen. This is one of them.

Watch the trailer, then experience Southern Sonshine as part of Shades of Black this Friday.

📅 THIS FRIDAY, October 9 | 6–10 PM
📍 Victory Black Box Theatre | Fort Lauderdale
🎟️ Early Bird Tickets: $10
🔗 bit.ly/SOB26FilmShowcase
(LINK ALSO IN BIO)

Film | Art | Community Chat

10/02/2026

🎬 What happens when the opportunity you’ve been waiting for asks you to compromise the very thing that got you there?

SCORED follows two Black q***r creatives hired to score a film while navigating representation, artistic compromise, grief, creativity and the value of their work.

This is one you don’t want to miss.

Watch the trailer, then come experience SCORED as part of the Shades of Black Film Showcase.

📅 Friday, Oct. 9 | 6–10 PM
📍 Victory Black Box Theatre | Fort Lauderdale
🎟️ Tickets: bit.ly/SOB26FilmShowcase
Link in bio

Film | Art | Community Chat