Free Mom Hugs SoCal LA lead a Pride Ride caravan from Los Angeles to West Hollywood in honor of Harvey Milk Day this past weekend, Saturday, May 22, 2021. It was all part of a national movement across the country.
A caravan of about 20 cars drove through West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard at roughly 2:30 p.m. The long line of vehicles were brightly decorated with pride flags, flowers, streamers and loving messages of support, acceptance and love. They honked, cheered, waved, blew bubbles and gave beads, stickers, and candy to people on the street.
Free Mom Hugs – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMESThe Pride Ride drove west on Santa Monica Boulevard to Doheny Boulevard, and then back east on Santa Monica, before ending at San Vicente Boulevard.
“I have not had that much fun and felt that much love in so long!,” Posted Amanda M. on the Free Mom Hugs SoCal LA Facebook page group. “This was my first pride event. I’m a free mom hugger as well as a fierce mama bear protecting my reasons. Seeing so many mamas, papas and other family and friends out there giving out all that love was so impactful. I cannot wait until our next event. My kiddos had so much fun. My Gunnar won’t take his shirt off, won’t take his necklaces off, won’t put his pride flag down and won’t put those bubble wands down lol. He is glowing from all the fun he had yesterday and all the love he saw and felt! Not to mention he met someone a lot like him that made his day that much better!! Thank you all for being amazing!!!”
Free Mom Hugs – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMES“Our goal has always been to encourage the LGBTQIA+ community we serve
and send a message to the world they are worth celebrating,” said Sara Cunningham,
founder of Free Mom Hugs. “This has been even more critical during the pandemic,
when many people have felt so isolated. We had to get creative in our outreach efforts to
continue to support the community we love so much.”
Free Mom Hugs – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMES
Free Mom Hugs – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMESFree Mom Hugs are known for spreading love and giving hugs at Pride events. COVID has forced the organization to adapt and spread their message of acceptance in a way that is COVID safe. This May 22, to celebrate the birthday of famed San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk—one of the first openly gay elected officials in American history—Free Mom Hugs will stage a new kind of event in 13 American states. Members of the nonprofit’s chapters in Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, California, Arkansas, Vermont, Tennessee, Virginia, New Jersey, and Oklahoma will decorate cars for socially distanced “Pride Rides” that will support and celebrate the LGBTQ community.
Free Mom Hugs – Photo by Paulo Murillo for WEHO TIMESTo learn more about Free Mom Hugs or to make a donation, visit https://freemomhugs.org.
Join the Free Mom Hugs SoCal LA Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/600376137140829.
