Hugs, kisses, and fist bumps!”
The words could be heard all over Mid-Missouri PrideFest, where families, couples, and everyone else came to celebrate. There was live music, games, and LGBTQ+ pride on the streets around Rose Music Hall.
In the middle of all the noise, sellers set up tents to sell their goods. A lot of sellers used the chance to promote their businesses and make sales, but there was one tent that stood out from the rest. It was free to use their service.
The words were said by Art and Amanda Smith as they stood next to each other with their arms outstretched. They really meant it.
Dozens of people ran, trotted, skipped, and galloped over to the Smiths to give them a bear hug, a high five, or a fist bump.”A hug is something everyone should get,” Art Smith said.
“You should do it! She also said, “No, really, it is good for you.”
Since 2019, the couple has set up a tent at the Mid-Missouri PrideFest and given out free hugs. Amanda Smith saw other people doing the same thing at a Philadelphia Pride event.
“We have to do that!” Smith said she could remember telling her husband. Their “free hug” business has been going strong ever since.
The Smiths said they understand a harsh reality: not everyone can be exposed to love the same way they exposed their children to it. Of course, not all kids have parents who are okay with their gender or sexuality.
“We have a lot of friends that are LGBTQ, and most of them have really supportive families,” Smith said. “But some of them don’t, and so we find it very important to offer that.”
With their free hug service, the Smiths seemed like caring parents to everyone. The Smiths were always there for people, whether they were happy or sad.
Art Smith said, “The place where they are is the place where we want to be.”