More About Us

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Jose Lugo is thirty-three years old. He would join a L.A. street gang when he was sixteen and would be convicted and sentenced to five years in prison at the age of eighteen. When he paroled from prison, he vowed to himself that he would never go back and dreamed of one day telling the stories of his peers. Jose would go through life never fully understanding the value in his own story. At the age of thirty-one he would return to jail for a D.U.I. After his three day incarceration, he had lost all hope. He took inventory of his life and saw himself only as a criminal with no value. On the brink of taking his own life, he was able to remember a simple truth that he had believed as a child - that he as a person had inherent value, therefore his story had value. It was in that moment that he was able to find the value in his story once again. Jose is the founder of We Are All One Story. He currently travels the country listening to and sharing peoples stories. He is also finishing his memoir, Love, Faith and Violence: A True Song and Story, set to release Winter 2020.

Jose, why are you doing this?

“I believe that the only thing that matters in this world are people and the impact we leave on their hearts. When I re-found the value in my own story, I knew that I would have to help others do the same. This is the dream of my dreams; there is no other way for me."

Roger Barajas is twenty years old. He is currently a student at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Liberal Arts with a minor in Business Entrepreneurship. Roger is an active member in his college campus, having lead roles in student-run organizations and is involved with charitable works throughout the San Antonio and Austin areas. Roger is a full-time student, co-founder and a lead creative at We Are All One Story. 

Roger, why are you doing this?

“Because of the unmatched impact this has on people’s lives. I’ve been able to witness it first hand through the stories that we’ve shared. I feel that when someone attempts to find their story, they are also in the process of better finding themselves. Personally, I want others to succeed in whatever their creative aspirations are; I think the first part of that is recognizing the value in your own story."

Ralph DeQuebec is 37 years old. He would join the United States Marine Corps at 19. During his third combat deployment, he would be critically injured from an IED blast and would receive a Purple Heart for his actions in combat. During his recovery, he would discover the sport of Para Ice Hockey. He would then go on to win a gold medal in the 2018 Paralympic games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Ralph is the captain for the Colorado Warrior Avalanche, a co-founder of We Are All One Story and is currently training for the 2022 Paralympic games in Beijing, China.

Ralph, why are you doing this?

"I know what it’s like to lose the value in one's story. When I shared my story, I shared some of the most pivotal experiences in my life with the world... good and bad. In doing so, I felt the power with each word I spoke shift from victim to owner. It helped me realize that even though my past has helped shape me as a person, it didn’t define me. It allowed me to rediscover the value in my own story. I’m here to share my story with honesty and vulnerability in hopes that it will inspire others to do the same."