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Nike Ad Features Local Dancer
A Roosevelt High School teacher and University of Hawai‘i graduate student is the new face of athletic ap- parel giant Nike.
This is just the latest rec- ognition for Lopes. Back in April, she won the coveted Miss Aloha Hula title at the Merrie Monarch Festival. She also won the Hawaiian Language Award portion of the Miss Hula competition, impressing spectators and judges with her mastery of ōlelo Hawaiʻi.
her award-winning hula ka- hiko in traditional costume, along with an array of imag- es of her wearing items from Nike’s N7 collection.
Pi‘ikea Kekīhenele- huawewehiikekau‘ōnohi Lopes will represent the global brand’s special edi- tion N7 collection, which celebrates indigenous com- munities through athlet- ic apparel and footwear. She was recently featured in a preview of the col- lection that appeared on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square and on 18,000-square-foot LED screens near Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“It’s nice being noticed by a globally known brand wanting to feature Hawai‘i and acknowledge hula as a sport,” states Lopes.
“It’s how I was raised and how I went through life and how my parents taught hula,” states Lopes. “(It’s) how my parents taught lan- guage and spoke language at home.”
Nike officials expressed their appreciation for Lopes’ authenticity and commit- ment to ensuring the cam- paign was culturally appro- priate.
Lopes is the daughter of R. Keawe Lopes Jr., who is director of Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Lan- guage, and Tracie Lopes of hula hālau Ka Lā ʻŌnohi
“Whoever is representing any brand that’s featuring indigenous culture, I just want to make sure they hold their ioina (customs) pa‘a (strong),” Lopes states. “Just stick to your guts.”
Mai O Haʻehaʻe.
In September, Nike offi-
In addition to her achieve- ments in hula and ōlelo Ha- waiʻi, Lopes is also a com- petitive powerlifter. She has four state records for bench presses and deadlifts. She is pursuing a master’s de- gree in education at UH and teaches Hawaiian language at Roosevelt High School.
cials flew to O‘ahu to film and photograph Lopes at Mākaha Beach as part of the N7 ad campaign. The professional shoot took more than nine hours and
featured Lopes dancing
University of Hawai‘i graduate student and Roosevelt High School teacher Pi‘ikea Kekīhenelehuawewehiikekau Lopes (above and inset) is the new face of Nike’s special edition N7 collection. PHOTOS COURTESY NIKE
