‘Free Mom Hugs’ to March in Pride Parade

Free Mom Hugs will march in Long Beach’s Pride Parade this May. Free Mom Hugs is a national group composed of moms and dads offering support to members of the LGBTQ+ community. The group was founded by Sara Cunningham whose son, Parker, is gay. She first struggled with his coming out as she is of Christian faith, but later decided to educate herself and embrace all members of the LBGTQ+ community.

Cunningham officiates same-sex weddings and went viral for volunteering as a stand-in mom at weddings where parents refused to attend.

“For me, it just represents unconditional love,” said Cunningham, according to her bio page on the group’s website . “Everyone needs love and understanding from their mother.”

Free Mom Hugs has chapters in 40 of the United States. However Long Beach does not currently have a designated chapter. Sumer Temple is working to change that.

Temple has friends in the LGBTQ+ community and has wanted to be part of the community by way of support. Temple realized Long Beach didn’t have a chapter and reached out to the state chapter to get the ball rolling.

“They asked me to coordinate mom for the pride parade so I’ve been working on gathering people,” Temple said. “So far on the event page there are 100 people interested.”

Temple said she isn’t worried about support in Long Beach because of the vast support behind the LGBTQ+ community. There will be a pre-meeting happening for moms, and dads, interested in marching in pride and developing a Long Beach chapter. Long Beach Pride is May 18-19, 2019.

For more information on Free Mom Hugs, visit https://www.freemomhugs.org/ or search “Join Free Mom Hugs at Long Beach Pride” in the Facebook search bar..

kalaisha@beachcomber.news