Ken Nwadike, the Free Hugs Guy, Spreads Peace, Brings His Message to Social Workers

by Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW

     Ken Nwadike, Jr., spreads love and peace in his work as a peace activist with his Free Hugs Project. I had the opportunity to hear Ken speak recently at the Pennsylvania NASW conference in September, just prior to the U.N. International Day of Peace on September 21, 2017. I was inspired and impressed by Nwadike’s personal story and the way in which he illustrates that one person can truly make a meaningful difference in the world.

     Nwadike grew up homeless with a single mother and four siblings, after witnessing police storm the front door of his house and take his father away to jail. As a homeless student, a coach took Ken under his wing and encouraged him, and Ken soon became a track star, eventually signing a contract with Nike. He began to work with youth in homeless shelters in his community, to give back to those in a similar situation to his own earlier experience. He knew the positive results that could come from the right mentor taking an interest in at-risk youth. He became a race organizer and organized one of the largest races in the Los Angeles area, the Hollywood Half Marathon, to raise money for homeless shelters.

     After the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013, Nwadike wanted to show support by running the 2014 Boston Marathon. However, he did not qualify to enter the Boston Marathon as a runner (he missed the qualifying time by mere seconds, twice), so he came up with the idea to support the runners by going to the marathon wearing a t-shirt that said “Free Hugs.” In his own way, he set out to spread love by offering hugs to anyone who wanted one, and many of the Boston marathon runners took him up on the offer and were very happy to stop for a hug from Ken as they ran by him. Thus, the Free Hugs Project was born. It’s okay to cry when you watch the video.

     After going to several marathons and other races and giving free hugs to runners, he wanted to use the project to do more. He started going to rallies and protests, such as ones protesting police brutality and other injustices. But he did not stop at simply giving free hugs. He would talk to people on both sides, protesters and counter-protesters, as well as police, working to prevent violent situations from occurring. He often puts himself in danger’s way, when mediating between sides at a rally to de-escalate a volatile situation. He shows up, by himself (so as not to endanger his team members), with his Free Hugs t-shirt and his desire to stop injustice and violence. He has been active at rallies and protests in Charlotte, North Carolina; Charlottesville, Virginia; at Donald Trump’s inauguration; and others. He does not go to protest, but to spread peace and love.

     He was the organizer behind the March for Civility in Washington, DC, on September 23, 2017.

     Ken Nwadike, Jr., is a living example of one person, literally, making a difference and spreading peace in the world. You can see Nwadike in action through more of his motivational videos at: http://freehugsproject.tv.

     Here are some thoughts I took away after hearing Nwadike speak:

• One person can make a real difference.
• A person can make a positive impact with one simple idea.
• Use your own experience to ask yourself what might make a difference to someone else.
• If you believe in an idea, even if others question it, give it a try. It might work.

     What small actions can we, social workers, take to spread peace and love within our own small parts of the world?

     If you get a chance to see or hear Ken Nwadike, Jr., speak, I highly recommend that you do so. You will not be disappointed, and you may even get a free hug. (I did!)

Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW, is the publisher, editor, and founder of The New Social Worker magazine.