Free Hugs

Clifford McDonald

Sarasota, Florida

Artist Statement

I guess they say you can’t buy love;
So instead, I’m giving out free hugs;
For no reason at all, I’m doing it just because;
I’m embracing our differences to create the vision that Martin dreamed of;
Because we live in a world full of hate, division, and people that judge;
But I give love because I need love;
And I know it exists because I’ve seen love;
And to be loved, you have to be love;
So here, Love, here’s a free hug.

"I can't wait for a world where the color of my skin doesn't determine how much love I will get."

Tyler Maroney


6th Grade, Sarasota Middle School, Sarasota, Florida, Colleen Joiner