From the beginning, Alanerea “Alex” Lugo knew she was a star. And as she grew, her love of singing and songwriting thrived.
Unfortunately, once in middle school, Alex experienced bullying. She felt excluded and needed to find a positive space to be herself. When her grandma told her about Artistas y Músicos Latino Americanos (AMLA), Alex enrolled, hoping to find refuge.
At first, Alex felt shy and quiet, experienced stage fright, and had difficulty making friends. Over time, with the guidance of her teacher, Mr. Daniel de Jesús, and the support of her classmates, Alex flourished.
“AMLA showed me friendship and hope,” said Alex. “I used to be like, ‘I can’t do this.’ But Mr. Daniel taught me to be strong. People are gonna discriminate [against] you. But don’t [listen to] them.”
It’s been three years since Alex joined AMLA. In that time, she found more than just music lessons. She believes she found a family and a home. When she grows up, Alex hopes to return as a teaching artist and help her own students to be resilient. “I wanna teach at AMLA and help kids to know that they have to walk straight and be stars,” she said.