Ken Nwadike Jr.

Last updated

Ken Nwadike Jr.
Personal information
Born (1981-12-29) December 29, 1981 (age 42)
San Diego, California, United States
Occupations
Website freehugsproject.com
YouTube information
Also known asFree Hugs Guy
Years active2014–present
Genres
Subscribers224,000 subscribers
(January 15, 2024)
Total views55 million views
(January 15, 2024)
Network Studio71
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribers2018

Kenneth E. Nwadike Jr. is an American documentary filmmaker, motivational speaker, and peace activist popularly known as the "Free Hugs Guy". [1] Ken is the founder of the Free Hugs Project. His "Free Hugs" videos have reached hundreds of millions of views on Facebook and YouTube. [2]

Contents

Career

In 2014, Nwadike launched the Free Hugs Project with the stated purpose of spreading love in response to the bombing of the Boston Marathon. The Free Hugs Project gained popularity in 2016, as Nwadike made major news headlines for his efforts towards de-escalation of violence during protests, riots, and political rallies. [3] Nwadike was featured in Google's 2016 Year in Search video as a highlight among some of the year's most defining moments. [4] Nwadike has made many appearances on news programs and radio broadcasts worldwide, including CNN, USA Today, Good Morning Britain, and BBC News.

Nwadike is the President and CEO of Superhero Events, LLC, which produces the annual Hollywood Half Marathon. The marathon, held each spring in Hollywood, California, with the purpose of raising funds for local homeless youth shelters. [5]

On March 30, 2016, Nwadike released the controversial "Donald Trump Rally Free Hugs vs Bernie Sanders Rally Free Hugs" video to his "Free Hugs Project" channels on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. [6] The video became a viral hit and his #MakeAmericaLoveAgain hashtag became a trending topic on Facebook and Twitter. [7] Nwadike's "Free Hugs" videos have reached hundreds of millions views on Facebook and YouTube. [8]

During Super Bowl LIV, Ken Nwadike was featured in the Budweiser Super Bowl 2020 commercial titled, "Typical American" which showcases “the extraordinary people that represent the best of America.” [9] [10]

Occupations

As a motivational speaker, Ken details his former homelessness and states that he overcame insecurities by getting involved in extracurricular activities in school. The support, he says, he received from coaches, teammates, and friends while playing sports and participating in student government activities, helped pave the way for Ken to start a number of businesses and a charitable organization that helps homeless teens. [11]

The Free Hugs Project is a program conducted at workplaces and colleges, designed to bridge racial divides and encourage civility. [12]

In October 2017, Nwadike filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for President of the United States in the 2020 election. [13] He later withdrew from the race. [14] [ failed verification ]

Live appearances

Aside from YouTube and Facebook videos, Nwadike has appeared on worldwide news programs and radio broadcasts.

Awards and nominations

YearNominatedAwardResult
2017Ken E. Nwadike, Jr. Most-Admired Public Leader in San Diego [21] Won
2017Ken E. Nwadike, Jr. Simeon Booker Award for Courage Won
2017Ken E. Nwadike, Jr. Citizen Achievement Award Won

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
2016Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & AmericaHimself Netflix Documentary
2017The L.A. Riots: 25 Years Later [22] Himself History Channel Documentary
2020Called to the Front Lines [23] HimselfDocumentary

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free Hugs Campaign</span> Social movement

The Free Hugs Campaign is a social movement involving individuals who offer hugs to strangers in public places. The hugs are meant to be random acts of kindness—selfless acts performed just to make others feel better. International Free Hugs Month is celebrated on the first Saturday of July and continues until August first.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Deluxe</span> Entertainment company

Super Deluxe was an entertainment company owned by Turner Broadcasting. The company's main output was in online video, television series, and documentaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Styn</span>

John Halcyon Styn is an American blogger, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, web designer, author, and web celebrity, who "pushed the boundaries of online self-expression" through his various online projects. He is currently the co-founder of 1st Saturdays, a homeless outreach project, and the host of Hug Nation.

Hollywood Half Marathon is an annual road running event over the half marathon distance 21.0975 kilometres (13.1094 mi), which is held each spring in Hollywood, California. The race was inaugurated in 2012 and has been held every year since then to raise funds and awareness for Los Angeles youth homeless shelters. The course starts on Hollywood Boulevard and runs through Silverlake, Los Angeles neighborhoods, then returns to finish along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street. Both men and women are able to enter the half marathon and shorter 10-kilometer race and 5 kilometer fun run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free the nipple</span> Topfreedom campaign since 2012

Free the Nipple is a topfreedom campaign created in 2012 during pre-production of a 2014 film of the same name. The campaign highlights the general convention of allowing men to appear topless in public while considering it sexual or indecent for women to do the same and asserts that this difference is discriminatory. The campaign argues that it should be legally and culturally acceptable for women to bare their nipples in public.

The 2016 United States presidential debates were a series of debates held for the presidential election. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), a bipartisan organization formed in 1987, organized three debates among the major presidential candidates. The first of these presidential debates took place on September 26, 2016, and set the record as the most-watched debate in American history, with 84 million viewers. The second debate took place on October 9, and the third took place on October 19. All CPD debates occurred from approximately 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EDT. Only the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and the Republican nominee Donald Trump met the criteria for inclusion in the debates, and thus were the only two to appear in the debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The CPD-sponsored vice presidential debate took place on October 4, 2016. Only Democratic nominee Tim Kaine and Republican nominee Mike Pence appeared in it.

The Internet Research Agency, also known as Glavset, and known in Russian Internet slang as the Trolls from Olgino or Kremlinbots, was a Russian company which was engaged in online propaganda and influence operations on behalf of Russian business and political interests. It was linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, a former Russian oligarch who was leader of the Wagner Group, and based in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond and Silk</span> Former American political commentary duo (1971 – 2023)

Ineitha Lynnette Hardaway and Herneitha Rochelle Hardaway Richardson, known as Diamond and Silk, respectively, were a pair of American conservative political commentators and vloggers. They are known for their support of former U.S. president Donald Trump. Both have served as contributors for conservative news channel Newsmax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Donald Trump Chicago rally protest</span>

On March 11, 2016, the Donald Trump presidential campaign canceled a planned rally at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), in Chicago, Illinois, citing "growing safety concerns" due to the presence of thousands of protesters inside and outside his rally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protests against Donald Trump</span> Political protests against Donald Trump

Protests against Donald Trump have occurred in the United States, Europe and elsewhere from his entry into the 2016 presidential campaign to his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Protests have expressed opposition to Trump's campaign rhetoric, his electoral win, his inauguration, his alleged history of sexual misconduct and various presidential actions, most notably his travel ban in 2017 and his aggressive family separation policy in 2018. Some protests have taken the form of walk-outs, business closures, and petitions as well as rallies, demonstrations, and marches. While most protests have been peaceful, actionable conduct such as vandalism and assaults on Trump supporters has occurred. Some protesters have been criminally charged with rioting. The largest organized protest against Trump was the day after his inauguration; millions protested on January 21, 2017, during the Women's March, with each individual city's protest taken into consideration, makes it the largest single-day protest in the history of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 California Democratic presidential primary</span>

The 2016 California Democratic presidential primary was held on June 7 in the U.S. state of California as one of the Democratic Party's primaries ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Social media played an important role in shaping the course of events surrounding the 2016 United States presidential election. It facilitated greater voter interaction with the political climate; unlike traditional media, social media gave people the ability to create, comment on, and share content related to the election.

Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN), also known as Right Side Broadcasting, is an American conservative media company founded by Joe Seales in 2015. They are best known for their live stream coverage of Donald Trump's rallies, town halls, and public events on their YouTube and Rumble channels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deplatforming</span> Administrative or political action to deny access to a platform to express opinions

Deplatforming, (no-platforming), a form of Internet censorship of an individual or group by preventing them from posting on the platforms they use to share their information/ideas. This typically involves suspension, outright bans, or reducing spread.

The #WalkAway campaign is a social-media campaign that was launched ahead of the United States 2018 mid-term elections with the stated purpose of encouraging voters to leave the Democratic Party. The campaign, which also organized events to support Donald Trump, was noted and criticized for its astroturfing methods and the claim that there was a popular movement of people leaving the party.

Social media was used extensively in the 2020 United States presidential election. Both incumbent president Donald Trump and Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden's campaigns employed digital-first advertising strategies, prioritizing digital advertising over print advertising in the wake of the pandemic. Trump had previously utilized his Twitter account to reach his voters and make announcements, both during and after the 2016 election. The Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden also made use of social media networks to express his views and opinions on important events such as the Trump administration's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the protests following the murder of George Floyd, and the controversial appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 protests in the United States</span> Rallies against restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Beginning in early April 2020, there were protests in several U.S. states against government-imposed lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The protests, mostly organized by conservative groups and individuals, decried the economic and social impact of stay-at-home orders, business closures, and restricted personal movement and association, and demanded that their respective states be "re-opened" for normal business and personal activity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wikipedia and fact-checking</span> Culture and practice of fact-checking in Wikipedia

Wikipedia's volunteer editor community has the responsibility of fact-checking Wikipedia's content. Their aim is to curb the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation by the website.

References

  1. "Man Offers Hugs At Trump And Sanders Rallies, Asks Which America We Want". The Huffington Post. March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  2. Deaderick, Lisa (May 7, 2016). "Making the world better, a hug at a time". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  3. Peterson, Karla (October 31, 2016). "In failing the homeless, San Diego stands apart". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  4. Tremelling, Miriam (December 21, 2016). "Google's 'Year in Search 2016' connects with message of hope". Campaign US. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  5. "Hollywood Half Marathon". NBC Los Angeles. April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
  6. "Free Hugs Project shows difference between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump rallies". AM New York. March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  7. "Here's What Happens When You Ask for a Hug at a Trump Rally Versus a Sanders Rally". Yahoo News. April 2, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  8. Deaderick, Lisa (May 7, 2016). "Making the world better, a hug at a time". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  9. "Fox 13 Salt Lake City". Fox 13. February 1, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  10. "Ad Age". Ad Age. January 23, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  11. "Peace Activist / Motivational Speaker". Free Hugs Project. October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  12. "Peace Activist / Motivational Speaker". Free Hugs Project. October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  13. Nwadike, Kenneth E. (October 18, 2017). "FEC FORM 2" (PDF). Federal Election Commission . Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  14. "About Ken E. Nwadike, Jr". Kenny 2020. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  15. "Formerly Homeless Man Directs Race to Benefit Local Shelters". NBC 4 Los Angeles. April 4, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  16. "'Free Hugs' man wants to make America LOVE again with free hugs". Pix 11 News New York. April 5, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  17. "'Free Hugs' guy brings project to San Diego". Fox 5 San Diego. May 23, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  18. "Time to celebrate Free Hugs Friday!". ITV Good Morning Britain. September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  19. "Activist hands out 'Free Hugs' amid violent protests in Charlotte". CNN. September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  20. "San Diego 'Free Hugs guy' Ken Nwadike Jr. gets Super Bowl commercial". Fox 5 San Diego. January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  21. Murphy, Nelson (April 24, 2017). "The Malin Burnham Awards - Vote for the Most Admired Leaders in San Diego". MNM Communications. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  22. "Kenneth Nwadike". IMDb. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9065248/ [ dead link ][ user-generated source ]

Further reading