The Creators
Juan Mann
Juan Mann is the founder of the Free Hugs Campaign, as seen on YouTube.
Born in Sydney, Australia, 1982, he was raised by his parents to spend more time outside and with people, than indoors watching television. By the age of 10, the only TV he was permitted to watch was the world news each night.
Juan Mann was educated in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA, Bankstown, Sydney, Australia and London, England. On school holidays, his Dad would take him on adventures around the world to discover how other people in different cultures lived. It was an eye opening experience for anybody.
At the age of 22, Juan realised there were so many gestures and emotions that were universally human. One of the most important of these was a hug.
1300 hours, Wednesday, June 30th, 2004, Juan Mann made his way into the Pitt Street Mall and offered a stranger his first Free Hug. He has been there every Thursday ever since.
Juan now divides his time between unlocking achievements on the XBOX360, discovering the history of Sydney and performing random acts of kindness.
This is his first book.
Born in Sydney, Australia, Krista Brennan spent a happy and pleasant childhood eating play-doh and scribbling on the walls of her bedroom with crayons. It was on this fertile bed of wallpaper and food colouring induced hallucinations that her interest in fine arts was first piqued. Raised in various parts of Australia and New Zealand, she grew tired of finding new friends every few years and made them out of cardboard instead. Thus, her passion for figurative art was born.
She has pursued fine art ever since, and has sold work locally, nationally and internationally. Her interest in illustrating a guide to Free Hugs comes from a genuine affinity for the campaign’s objectives, as well as a desire to find friends who won’t give her the sort of paper-cuts that could have your arm off.
This is her first book.
