OKC's Sara and Parker Cunningham take Free Mom Hugs to Pride events, the movies and more

Sara and Parker Cunningham playfully describe themselves as semi-professional huggers.

"Amongst other things," Parker Cunningham adds with a smile.

But many people would proclaim that this Oklahoma City mother-son duo already has gone pro when it comes to hugs.

Sara Cunningham is the founder of Free Mom Hugs, an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit LGBTQ+ advocacy and support organization dedicated to "Building a better world, one hug at a time." Parker, the younger of her two sons and her co-star in the new documentary "Mama Bears," is the inspiration behind what's become a nationwide movement with chapters in all 50 states.

"The power of a hug is practical and profound. It's taking the ordinary and turning it into the extraordinary and here's why: It's a human connection. It's validation. It's affirming. It's love. It's acceptance. It's what I believe is the gift that God has given every mother," Sara said.

"I believe it's the essence of humanity to connect, whether it's with your eyes, or with your words, or with a holiday, or a high five. Just the connection is so important. ... It's a love language." 

The pair plans to be present and ready for plenty of hugs during the Oklahoma City Pride Alliance's PrideFest from Friday-Sunday at Scissortail Park. The free event — the second of two festivals planned in OKC during June, which is Pride Month — will include live music, drag shows, wellness activities and more, including a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown.

"This is the community that raised me. ... To see rainbow flags downtown is huge, but also to remember that people are coming in from these little rural towns that think they might be the only family in their town with a weird kid," Parker told The Oklahoman.

OKC family featured in 'Mama Bears'

Sara and Parker are among three mother-child duos featured in the new documentary "Mama Bears," which traces the journeys of conservative Christian mothers whose love for their LGBTQ+ children has changed their lives.

Both Sara and Kimberly Shappley — a Texas mom who has been outspoken about her experiences with her transgender daughter, Kai — have become ardent advocates for the entire queer community, while California mother Tenita Lewis Artry— whose daughter, Tammi Terrell Morris, is a young African American lesbian — has struggled with her daughter's sexuality.  

"It's been really cool to just tell our story and hear other people's stories and just know that we're all not alone. And we're all on the right path of just trying to make the world a better, safer place for everyone," Parker said.

The OKC family got involved in the documentary after director and producer Daresha Kyi connected with them through Liz Dyer, the founder of a private Facebook group for moms of LGBTQ+ children. Kyi told The Oklahoman that Sara was the first person whose story she started to document for "Mama Bears."  

"As soon as I met her I fell in love with her and her organization. I mean, who doesn't love moms spreading joy and love? Parker I met later when I came to Oklahoma the first time, and again, it was love on sight. They're both so open, honest and willing to share their journeys with the world that you can't help but admire them. I'm so glad they trusted me with their story," Kyi said in an email. 

"Mama Bears," which was the opening night film at OKC's deadCenter Film Festival earlier this month, is making the rounds to other festivals and is set be featured on PBS' "Independent Lens" in June 2023.

"With Daresha's guidance and direction, she just was so tender with the most intimate parts of our lives. ... So, in that sense, it's been a growth experience to be able to talk and really work through what we went through," Sara said. 

"It's exciting just to be a part of something that we believe can bring such change and healing." 

Jamie Lee Curtis plans movie about Cunninghams

Over the past few years, the Cunninghams have seen the impact of sharing their story — accompanied with lots of hugs.

“Our youngest son spent his whole life coming out to us. When he turned 21 he said, ‘Mom, I met someone and I really need you to be OK about it.’ I didn’t take the news very well,” Cunningham told The Oklahoman in 2018. “We didn’t really talk about it, but we were taught that … homosexuality was the ultimate offense. So, not only did I not take the news well, I thought my son was going to hell for being gay.”

After much study and prayer, Cunningham concluded that embracing her son was the right and loving course of action.

And in some ways, she took it literally. In 2014, she founded Free Mom Hugs, a grassroots movement to accept, love and support the LGBTQ+ community. When she pinned a “Free Mom Hugs” button on her sundress before an OKC Pride event in 2016, people were eager to take her up on the offer and make that human connection.