Kiki Suárezwas born in Hamburg in 1951, where she studied education, psychology, and literature. After receiving her degree in psychology, she traveled through Mexico, where she met her husband in the small colonial town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Together, they opened their first gallery.
In 2008, she was diagnosed with an incurable genetic retinal disease (retinitis pigmentosa), which has led to severe visual impairment. Today, she offers free self-help, leads reading and writing groups, and is pleased that people of all walks of life, nationalities, and ages come to her Kikimundo center when she can only travel with difficulty.