Miguel Lugo 2025
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Diana Pastora Carson: [00:00:00] This episode is proudly sponsored by ABILITY Magazine, the leading magazine for health, disability, and human potential that strives to shatter myths and stereotypes that surround disabilities.
Welcome to the Beyond Awareness, disability Awareness That Matters podcast. I'm your host, Diana Pastora Carson. Here you'll find a safe space to learn and grow with leaders in education, disability studies, disability advocacy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations. Specifically, we look at how disability fits into diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging, and how to frame disability awareness in the context of educating [00:01:00] K 12 communities.
This show serves educators, parents, and community members who strive to learn and or teach about disability in a research based and respectful way, moving beyond simple awareness. And diving into inclusive and socially responsive conversations. Now let's go beyond awareness. Hello everyone and welcome back to Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters. I'm excited today to have Miguel Lugo or "El Chueco" here with me today to have a conversation. Miguel is a friend and a colleague, and a comedian and an activist.
And I'm gonna let you, Miguel, introduce yourself. I, but I'm so excited about this moment of comic relief for a time when we need it so desperately in the world. So go ahead, Miguel. [00:02:00] Welcome and tell us a little bit more about yourself.
Miguel Lugo: Thank you so much, Diana. I am excited to be here. Thank you for having me on your show.
Excited to come on. Share some stories, share some laughs hopefully, and like just have a good time. I am Miguel "El Chueco" Lugo.
So I am a comedian. I do sit down, not stand up. I joke around with people and say, standup is overrated. It sure is. And, , besides comedy, I am an activist with Disability Rights. I am an an outreach specialist with Disability Voices United as well as [00:03:00] program manager for Integrated Community
Collaborative. I
Miguel Lugo: am from Los Angeles, Whittier to be exact. I am a son of immigrant parents, proudly Mexicanos, first generation. I am a self- advocate, living with cerebral palsy, and just living life to the fullest.
Diana Pastora Carson: So I know you do a lot of disability rights activism work and, and then on, and then you're doing comedy.
Like what made you decide to go into comedy? Miguel? You know, comedy wasn't something I planned on. Like, I didn't grow up [00:04:00] thinking I want to be a comedian. I just as a kid, I always, I always joked around. I made jokes in school that carried over to my work, and then about literally 12 years ago.
A coworker, , made a comment, comment and he said, Hey, you should try comedy. And I joked around. I said, you know, comedy's not my thing. I like to do it around my friends, but the thought of me going up on stage and doing comedy, that was like, no way. And I long social, he talked, he talked me into to going into an open mic and we [00:05:00] went there.
I went on stage that time. I believe I did about thirty minutes. Wow.
And, , I got off stage and as, as we were leaving, the promoter or the host came up to me and he says, Hey, you did pretty good. Like you should keep coming back. And I was like, oh, like, wait, what? Like. Like, okay. So I kept going back and then three months into going back, I found out that that was just something that he would tell everybody.
Like he, he was just trying to get people there. [00:06:00] And I took it seriously because I started hanging out at comedy clubs. I started going to shows even if I wasn't on the show, like in my mind I was like, wow, I'm actually funny. I should start doing what funny people do and go to shows, even if I'm not on the shows.
So I started networking and I started getting invited to shows and 12 years later. There you go. Here you're there.
There you are. And you recently did a late night talk show in Mexico, didn't you? I did. I did. I won a comedy festival in, , Cabo and part ofthe prize. Was an [00:07:00] invitation to a late night talk show called Es De Noche y Ya Llegue.
Yeah. So I, I did, I got invited to that talk show. It, it was, it was fun.
Yeah, it's nighttime and I have arrived. Yes, yes. Okay. Got it. Alright, so when you were, so that was in what city? In Mexico. That was in Mexico City. Mexico City,. So you, you were in Mexico City and I know you've been to Mexico multiple times. I wanna ask you, 'cause one of the things that I talk about with students and with families and and educators is this concept of access and accessibility and people, you know, I hope everybody we're on the 35th anniversary of the ADA that recently, we just passed by and, you know, the [00:08:00] Americans with Disabilities Act created environments where we have physical access to spaces. You know, public spaces are designed in universal ways so that everybody has access to them. When you were in Mexico, did you notice a big difference in Mexico City to the accessibility features in public spaces, compared to the US.
Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Like night and day. I mean, unfortunately, I will say, it's, it's a big difference. It, it's difficult to get around in Mexico, you know, and el "DF" (Districto Federal) is one of the biggest cities and there's a lot going on. So I think there's a little more [00:09:00] accessibility there, but it's hard.
What, what are some examples of things that you, some barriers that you ran into?
Okay. Ramps. Ramps are not at the degree angle that they should be. Ramps here are literally the steps filled in.
Oh, okay. The steps filled in.
They, they, they fill in the side of the steps and there's your ramp.
There's your ramp. So it's a very steep angle.
Yes. Several times I've gone up those ramps and someone has to be behind me.
Yeah. To make sure I don't fall back. Yeah, and I mean, several times it's, it's happened where they catch me falling back.
Is this walking or In a wheelchair? [00:10:00] In a wheelchair. Okay. Because I know you do both.
Yeah. So for me, it is actually easier to get out of my wheelchair and walk up the steps and then have someone push the chair up that steep ramp.
Mm-hmm. Any other examples? I'm sorry to cut you off.
No, no, no. Parking spots, no one, no one obeys. And if the spots open, guess what? Next person that drives up is taking it.
Wow.
I mean, sidewalks, curb cuts, old sidewalks with cracks. I have the ability to get up and walk a little bit, so it's a little bit [00:11:00] easier for me to come across a crack in the sidewalk. I can easily get up and have my chair pushed over.
As I get older, it is increasingly difficult for me to be able to do those things like get up out of a chair to be able to cross over. So, yeah, it's very difficult to get around there. But for someone that uses a wheelchair for mobility, it's gonna be very difficult for them to get around and access the places that, that they want to access. But I mean I love it out here so much. You know,
Where is here?[00:12:00]
Right now I am actually in Guadalajara.
Okay. You're on vacation. That's right.
I am in Tonala, Guadalajara.
Nice. Well, I'm glad that you're loving it. I'm sorry that the accessibility isn't as efficient and helpful as it could be if they had legislation like the ADA in place.
So what, speaking about access and accessibility, you know, it's not just about physical spaces, but access to opportunities and access to relationships is something that's often not, especially relationships, because there's so many assumptions that people make about, romance and people with disabilities. So I just wanted to ask you about your experience in that arena as a person who experiences disability, but also societal [00:13:00] biases around disability. What is your experience of relationships, dating, romance?
It's been interesting. I'll start it off by saying that. It is been interesting that ever since I was a little kid, I remember being attracted to the opposite sex and I knew that because my disability is physical, it was gonna to be different for me. I remember high school during winter formal, during prom and everyone's asking their date out. You know, I remember thinking. Oh my God. Like, [00:14:00] how am I, am I gonna have a date? Am I, am I gonna build up the courage to ask someone out for a, and obviously you're seeing a wheelchair, like whats gonna be their reaction. I did go to winter formal and prom with dates. Mm-hmm. So I got over that hurdle, but then, once it became to all my friends and my cousins were dating, , then for me it's like, okay, then now, then, now it's more than one date.
One date, I can get by, but now how am I gonna approach women? I mean, I have cerebral palsy, you know, it is like [00:15:00] the worst thing you can tell me is sit still.
Oh my God.
And it doesn't matter how sweet of a voice you say it in, my body's taking over. So I'm thinking like when I date someone, how am I gonna hug them? You know? And, and I would, I would hug them. I would do that, that, you know, that fake yawn.
The fake yawn?
You take your arm, put it around her. Yeah. And then I would spasm.
Oh my gosh.
And I was like this, putting them in the headlock,
Put them in a headlock?
And they were, they were like let me [00:16:00] go! And I was like, believe me, I'm trying.
Oh no. How traumatizing for both of you.
Yes.
When I would try to get romantic and spoon feed them, trying to help the spoon to her mouth. I can't even hold a spoon to my mouth. I need her to feed me.
Oh my God, again.
Luckily I found someone that, that was willing to deal with the headlocks and the spoon in the face. Another accidental, you know, love taps, I call them love taps. And I found someone, and I've been with her for six years [00:17:00] now, and it is been great. It's been different.
She's lovely. Yeah, she's willing to tolerate the headlocks. I love that. So tell, tell us more about the focus of your advocacy work right now.
Wow. My advocacy work right now is extremely zeroed in on the Medicaid cuts. Mm. I mean, I see it and I can't believe that it's actually, that it happened.
What, what does it mean to you? Like what is, what is that message that's made clear to you? Just by the fact that it actually happened?
To [00:18:00] me, it means that I am going to lose support. I am gonna lose the support that, that enabled me to build what I, what I have built in my 44 years. Mm. It has taken me this long to get to where I'm now to do what I've done.
Mm. And as soon as those supports are gone, so is that life.
Miguel, can you just give us some examples of what the supports are, if you feel comfortable, what the supports are that many people may take for granted that they don't necessarily need, and they're not quite understanding how Medicaid actually provides the support, [00:19:00] and how that impacts your quality of life and your ability to work and to thrive in the community.
Yeah, absolutely. It is because of my cerebral palsy. It is so difficult for me to do such basic things. It'll take me 10 minutes to do something that you can do in 30 seconds. Typing. I type what I can, but I rely on my supports to get that email out that much faster.
I rely on those supports to reply to that text for me. [00:20:00] Texting is something that we all do. Most people do in their sleep. Texting is something I can't just get my phone out and text that from my supports coming in. My supports have my phone. So and so texted. Oh, can you reply this, this, and that.
Alright. And it took me 10 seconds to get that reply out as to if I, if I would've had to do it, it would've taken me 10, 15 minutes.
Are there technologies now that you could do that through audio texting this?
There are and, and I do. One thing I use a lot is Google the voice to text. Hmm. Good. So I do that. And that does, it does help. And it recognizes your speech patterns? [00:21:00] It does, but every, now and then I've noticed, especially when I'm tired, it is more difficult to understand me. So when I'm tired. I'll say something and like, I can't on this show, I can't repeat what it says. Yeah. And, and that means, I mean, I laugh, I laugh about it, and then I write that down as a future joke.
But then it is like, that's what goes into the time. Yeah. I think for, for yourself, if you, if all of a sudden you think, oh, I need milk. I'm gonna get up and run and go get milk, go get water, I can't do that. I can't pick up and go [00:22:00] like a 44-year-old man without a disability can. Mm-hmm. I can't go out for a drive just to clear my mind.
Mm. That's something I probably not ever going to experience to be in a car alone on PCH, with my thoughts to myself.
Pacific coast highway is PCH for those who aren't from the area. Yeah. So, what are some, some daily activities besides driving and texting, that people do every morning when they wake up that you might need assistance with?
Bathing, changing, shower, shaving, [00:23:00] combing my hair, buttoning shirts, that's something that most people do without even thinking about it. Like I gotta make sure that my staff is around to help me get ready.
So the, the Medicaid funding is directly related to the staff that you can then hire to support you. So it's a big deal.
It's a huge deal.
Yeah, reflecting on me asking you those questions, you know, thank you for answering them with such grace. And that's not, those are, those are very personal questions, and I would never just ask somebody off the street and nobody is ever entitled to know what a person's specific needs are, and I do [00:24:00] appreciate that you answered them only because the whole point of this podcast is to empower people with an understanding that what disables people isn't necessarily their disability, but lack of access to the supports that provide life quality, life activities. And so I just wanted to make that clear to listeners that that's not something that I would just ask anybody. You, you know, you volunteered to be here and to share about your life, and you told me prior that your life is an open book. So I just wanna acknowledge that so that people don't walk up to some stranger on the street or even somebody that they just met and start asking them very personal questions. And also just wanted to thank you again for sharing that.
Going back to your comedy and your life as an advocate and a [00:25:00] activist. One of the other topics that I talk about in my, my teaching and my books as about ableism. And do you, I know you have experienced ableism. I know that, 'cause I've seen your video called My Reality and I've, I've heard you speak. Does ableism surprise you in your work or in your life?
Unfortunately not.
What do you mean?
I wish I, I wish it was, I wish it happened so rare and far between that, that it would surprise me whenever it did happen.
Sure.
But since it, the exact opposite. It happens the often that, no, it doesn't surprise me. Hmm. [00:26:00] I mean, it just, whenever I do experience ableism, now it's more of a disappointment.
Mm. Like, like if I hear something, it is like, oh man. Like Really? Yeah. Like that. That's what you think? Yeah. Like ah dude. That wasn't cool.
What are some examples of ableist actions or comments that you've experienced or that are the more frequent ones? Well, your, your eyes are starting to spin. Oh my gosh. Which do I start with?
Yes. The most often is the "Hey buddy".
Yes. Why is that ableist? Like, [00:27:00] because I know people listening might, some people might be going, well, what's wrong with that? That's such a nice thing to say.
Not not to a 44-year-old man with gray hair. I have gray hair on my face. Yeah. And, and because of the gray hair. Mm. Like about 95% of the time that someone uses the phrase, Hey buddy towards me he's younger than me. Mm. So it's like like, really? Mm. Like you are gonna "hey buddy" me that I should be "hey buddying" you!
You just have to get faster at saying it first.
Yeah. [00:28:00] You know what they say? It's all about the timing. That's right. That's right. Yeah. The, that or the presumption that I'm not competent that the, the fact that they have to ask my support staff or they have to ask Elizabeth a question that should be directed to me. Mm. It is like, don't, like don't let the disability fool you. I still know what I want. I know what I like. You can ask me.
Right. How about, I know you had shared about getting kicked out of a coffee shop once.
Yeah. I was walking into to [00:29:00] this coffee shop to meet a cousin of mine and I saw her and I went up to her to ask her what she wanted to drink because it was going to be on me. So just me with cerebral palsy walking into a coffee shop directly at a young woman and from a distance, the manager just he thought something else. He thought this drunk just came in. Manager comes up behind me and he says, excuse me sir, you've gotta go. As soon as he said that, like, I knew why. Yeah, like I knew why. So I remember turning and I asked him why. [00:30:00] Tell me why I have to go, and I think once he heard my speech and he saw me because I was mad, and I, one, when I get mad, my cerebral palsy goes woo. It just goes haywire. So he saw that, and I guess he realized that I had a disability and wasn't drunk. And there I went.
There you went. So you told me a story about you going to the emergency room. You had had three strokes and what was your experience with your doctor?
I'm in the emergency, emergency room and the doctor's asking what's going on? And [00:31:00] I'm able to to verbally say. I have cerebral palsy, and I remember very clearly that his response was, I know cerebral palsy. You do not have cerebral palsy. You're on drugs. And he said it like that, you those words, you're on drugs.
Wow.
And I just had three strokes that morning. I mean that I couldn't even wrap my mind around like, oh my goodness, someone, a quote unquote medical professional, thinks I'm on drugs? What are they going to do to me?
Mm. My gosh.
Yeah, that, that was my biggest fear. What are [00:32:00] they gonna do? They're clearly going try to detox me and I'm like, you can't detox cerebral palsy, dude. Not something that's gonna happen! You can't detox that.
I'm glad you can laugh about it. Miguel, have you enjoyed your life just in general? Like you seem like you have a very fulfill, fulfilling life.
I have, yeah. I tell people I, I love my life.
Nice.
I've, I've enjoyed my life. One of my favorite artists is Vicente Fernandez. Mm-hmm. And one of his phrases that I say it [00:33:00] jokingly but in reality, I mean it, and that "ricos quisieran vivir mi vida".
Hmm. "Rich people would love to live my life."
Yes.
Yeah.
Struggles and all... I actually wanted to share this in the beginning. I didn't, but I'm sure now that I mentioned struggles. Oftentimes, people see me. I'm in the wheelchair, I'm not sitting still, my speech is slurred, and they automatically assume that that's the biggest battle that I'm struggling with in life. And, in [00:34:00] reality, the biggest battle that I struggle with in life is my alcoholism. I drank for over 20 years heavily. I've been sober for over seven months.
Mm. Yay. Congratulations, Miguel.
Yes. New Year Eve was the last time I even tasted alcohol.
You know, and, people ask me, and I tell them, some days are hard, other days are harder. Yeah. But nonetheless, I'm very positive guy. I like to, to stay positive. I like to, I like to laugh, you know? Yeah. If, if ever I can put a joke, if ever I can put a punchline under [00:35:00] one of my situations in life, I will.
Hmm. I love it. You, you have wit. I often think of great punchlines, but they come way too late when everybody's asleep already. Like, darn. I should have said that.
Write it down. Write it down. Voice to text.
Yes.
And see what comes up.
No kidding.
Well, I'm glad you've enjoyed your life. You've, you live and are living a very fulfilling life. I know you talked about your mom and how she wanted you to walk. That was her big thing.
But that's like, that's how people think, thought, and think still that, that's so important. Just like some people think that speaking verbally is so important, rather than using assistive technology. All the different types of technology or different ways that people do things, how [00:36:00] people move in the world, how people communicate in the world. It's different for everybody and that's okay. But, and I know you talked about how your mom was in that mindset, but I know your, your mom did a lot right? What did she do right?
She did a whole lot right? I was able to see that persistence that she had in her to reach that goal. That was her goal. So she taught me to be persistent.
Mm-hmm. That's where I get my, my persistence from, but just the hard work. The hard work, my mom, my dad, and they'd tell me that no matter what happened in life, we have to [00:37:00] keep pushing forward. Mm-hmm. We have to keep pushing to oftentimes to include ourself, even if we're not included, we, we should include ourself.
Oftentimes, my cousin wouldn't invite me to go play, and I would take that personal Mm. And her view was like, well go over there and tell them that you wanna play. Mm-hmm. And more, more often than not, their reaction was like oh yeah, you know, of course. You know, just, yeah, and so she told me that there's two ways to look at the same situation.
Hmm. And it's up to you which one [00:38:00] you choose.
I love that. And it's kinda like you're, she gave you permission to crash the party, right? Oh, metaphorically speaking. Yeah. Yeah. The party, I can see your name in big lights.
Yeah. Like I can see that on your comedy tour: Miguel El Chueco Lugo Crashing the Party, you know.
You know, lemme write that down.
Awesome. You'll have it. You'll, it'll be, he's, he's trying to write it down now, don't, it'll be in the episode. I won't cut that out. Oh, sure. Yes. What did your teachers do right, Miguel?
My teachers, I remember one teacher that, her name is I hope Miss Carol. I [00:39:00] wanna say she was my third, third grade teacher. She was the one that mentioned mainstreaming to my parents. Mm-hmm. She was the one that told my, my parents, Miguel should be mainstreamed. Miguel needs to be challenged more. Mm. And, that I mean, I was so young. I can just imagine how scary that must have been for my parents. Mm-hmm. That had not much more than a fourth grade education.
Mm-hmm same as my mom.
Yeah. Yeah. Like how, how, how? [00:40:00] Like, how are they going to do something like that, but nonetheless, they did it. It was done. And now that was, I was say thanks to Miss Carol.
Wow. That was a long time ago. That was a big risk. That was a step in the right direction. Yeah, it was called mainstreaming. Now we know it as you know, inclusive schooling, and we're still having so many people have to struggle to fight to get that and if they do get it, to have it be truly inclusive where there's a creating a sense of belonging for all students.
But that's great. Thank you for those. All right, Miguel for the sake of time, is there anything new that's coming up for you?
Yes.
You can follow me on social [00:41:00] media at El Chueco Lugo I'm posting everything on there.
You can also you can check on my website. It's so new, I forget to mention it. On my web website, ElChueco.org. You can log on there, check out some videos that I have, some comedy videos. I have on "My Reality," which is something that was really heartfelt, really, really speaks a lot of what I think that was written over 20 years ago. I really, really encourage everyone to check that out.
Yes, [00:42:00] and that is your video, My Reality, which can be found on ElChueco.org website. You can find the YouTube link on there and you can find your social media at El Chueco Lugo also. Thank you, Miguel, and all the best to you and all the successes to you and your upcoming events.
I really appreciate it. It was an honor to be here with you, and I look forward to what's coming.
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