FAMU’s Royal Court Spreads Joy, One Hug at a Time
Florida A&M University’s Royal Court spread love, joy, and positivity through something as simple as a hug on the quad. Thursday, Nov. 6, Mister FAMU Miles Howard, Miss FAMU Edwina Fleuridor, along with members of the Royal Court, offered free hugs to students. This event aimed to brighten spirits and remind students that sometimes, all it takes is a small act of kindness to make someone’s day.
Miss Junior Delya Harris said, “We’re giving out hugs because you never know when someone’s having a bad day. Someone might be stressed. Someone might be feeling down, and all they really need is just a hug. We’re hoping that one hug might have made someone’s day a little better.”
Harris stated the event was part of the Royal Court’s weekly outreach schedule, an idea sparked by Fleuridor and Howard to promote campus awareness. “It was kind of a random thought that we just decided to execute,” she said. “We just wanted to make sure our campus was feeling good and surrounded by positivity.”
Howard expressed that the initiative was inspired by the Royal Court members who came before him, and they wanted to keep the tradition going. “This was Miss FAMU’s idea. We went off what we’ve seen in the past from our former Queen and King of Orange and Green, Demi Howard and Isaiah Clayborn. They did something similar, so we were like, let’s do free hugs and continue to show love to the campus, not just stop after we win”.
Howard also mentioned that “the Royal Court tries to keep things fresh on campus by hosting different community-focused activities each week. “We try to do different things to keep the campus engaged,” he said. “Earlier this week, we did a trash cleanup, and tomorrow we’ll be at the volleyball game. We just want to keep the energy going and stay connected with the student body.”
Fleuridor said the event’s inspiration came from the simple power of kindness. “I feel like giving back doesn’t always have to be extravagant,” she explained. “Sometimes the simple things like a hug go a long way. When I hug my friends, it really makes their day better. So, I thought, why not share that same energy with the entire campus?”
Students passing by were greeted affectionately by members of the Royal Court with hugs, smiles and words of encouragement. With midterms wrapped up and students pushing through the final stretch of the semester, the Royal Court’s “Free Hugs” initiative served as a reminder of FAMU’s family-like spirit—one hug at a time.
Media Contact:
Rachel James-Terry
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
rachel.jamesterry@famu.edu
