Aurelis Lugo

Lugo’s innovative teaching idea, “We Can Too: Celebrating Inclusive Art & Expression,” is a groundbreaking art exhibition showcasing the creative talents of students with severe mobility and cognitive disabilities. As the only exhibition of its kind in the Wake County Schools area, it provides a platform for exceptional learners to express themselves and be recognized as artists. What was once an internal showcase has expanded to the Fuquay-Varina Arts Center in 2025, marking a significant milestone in visibility and inclusion. In 2026, the exhibition will move to Arts Access Gallery in Raleigh, the Research Triangle area’s only gallery dedicated to artists with disabilities. The Voya grant will go towards supporting the expansion of this exhibit. Lugo believes the project aligns her students’ voices with a broader movement for equity in the arts, advocating for accessibility, representation and the right of every student to be seen and heard through their art.