Mom offers free hugs, education during St. Pete Pride

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One of the biggest events of the year is in St. Petersburg this weekend: The city’s 21st pride parade and festival, which is expected to draw in hundreds of thousands of people.

One of the vendors set up for Saturday’s pride festival doesn’t have any goods to sell, but lots of love to share.

Laura Campbell is a mom to two kids — one of her daughters is pansexual and the other is transgender. Campbell said it took her a while to understand her kids’ identities. 

“Many of us came with questions and not understanding when our children came out,” she said. “It was through education and love and support of others, so that’s what we’re here for and we’re here to embrace everybody.”

Campbell doesn’t mean “embrace everybody” in a figurative way. At her tent, she gives out free hugs to anyone who needs one. Campbell is part of the organization Free Mom Hugs, which has more than 900 volunteers in its Florida chapter.

“If I can come here and I can let one — just one — individual know that they are loved, they matter and that their life is worth being here, I’m saving a person’s life,” said Campbell, one of the organization’s chapter leads. “I wanted to make sure we could be as loud and proud about that as possible.”

Campbell said it’s a tough time to be a parent to LGBTQ+ kids in Florida. She said some families affiliated with her organization are choosing to leave the state because of new legislation passed in Tallahassee.

“A lot of them, especially if they’re transgender, they’re very, very nervous about the state and trying to get health care and treatment for their families,” Campbell said. “So, we’ve actually created almost an ‘underground network’ quite honestly of moms and family members that are just there to support each other.”

Campell said her goal is to share what she’s learned from her kids’ journeys with other parents, so they can better support their children. She also wants to let people in the LGBTQ+ community know they are loved and celebrated, one hug at a time. 

Event organizers and law enforcement said their biggest priority is keeping everyone safe during this weekend’s festivities. The St. Pete Police Department increased its patrols, in addition to help from state and federal agencies, as well as private security.