Freedom Writers - The Power of Words & Writing
I recently saw the movie “Freedom Writers”. This is a great film which shows the power of words, and the power of a great teacher or mentor. Every writer should see this movie.
The Freedom Writers Story - In Brief
This brief promotional clip encapsulates the essence of the story. A young idealistic teacher Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) goes to Long Beach to teach in an integrated school. The students are often in survival mode in their everyday lives, emotionally and physically, in their home life and in turf wars between different ethnic groups and gangs.
Through persistence and a belief in herself and her students, Erin Gruwell helps the students find common ground, and work together. To help them break the gang and cultural divide mentality, she teaches them about “the biggest gang in history”, the Nazis. They read The Diary of Anne Frank and visit a Holocaust museum.
Gruwell buys journals for them to write their personal stories, which they can keep confidential or choose to share. These stories were later collated into a book Freedom Writer Diaries, on which the movie was based.
This is an uplifting story in a similar though more gritty portrayal than “To Sir With Love”, “Lean On Me”, ” Dead Poet’s Society” and “Mr Holland’s Opus”. It is a very real story in the sense of the viewer being in the moment with the action and people. You care about these people.
Meet One of the Freedom Writers - Kimberlee Morrison
As with stories based on fact, I am always interested to know what happened next. What are these students doing now? Do they keep in touch with each other? What is Erin Gruwell doing? What did the students think of the movie portrayal?
So I was blown away when I was browsing at Know More Media, one of my favourite blog networks, and read that their Editorial Assistant Kimberlee Morrison, is one of the original Long Beach Freedom Writers who was portrayed in the movie. If you have seen the movie and want to know more, here are some of Kimberlee’s posts about her Freedom Writers experience and the impact it had on her life and writing. There is also a link to the Freedom Writers foundation.
I have approached Kimberlee for an interview here at Grow Your Writing Business, and will keep you posted.
Freedom Writers at Know More Media
My Life as a Freedom Writer - Part 2 - Kimberlee Morrison
My Life as a Freedom Writer - Part 3 - Kimberlee Morrison
Visit the Freedom Writers Foundation website
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Share your thoughts about The Freedom Writers movie or the book. What examples of the power of words and writing have you seen yourself in relation to young people?
This is so interesting, Yvonne. I haven’t seen the movie yet. However, as a substitute teacher and writing workshop teacher, I often wonder how we can get and keep youngsters interested in reading and writing and turning their lives in a productive direction. I recall teaching workshops at a middle school, at the principal’s invitation. I enjoyed doing this and wondered if I’d inspired any of the 7th and 8th graders.
One day, a few months later, I saw the principal in the supermarket. “Mary,” he remarked. “What did you do with your writing lessons?”
I thought, “Oh, no! WHAT did I do?”
“You remember Joey?” he asked.
Yes, I recalled Joey, who liked to talk about nothing but his dirt bike and wasn’t interested in school or following teachers’ instructions.
“You got him started writing about his dirt bike,” the principal continued, “and now we can’t get him turned off. He’s writing about all kinds of adventures with that dirt bike.”
I had suggested to the youngsters that they write about something they knew and liked to get them started. And I recall talking with Joey about his dirt bike. I don’t know now where Joey went from there, but at least I got him interested in writing for a short time…writing about something he knew and liked.
Mary Emmma - Freedom Writers was a very powerful movie, especially as it was basic on a real story. As an ex teacher I can identify with your story. It is rewarding to hear feedback like that, as you often don’t know if what you did made any difference. On the other hand, the least little thing can make a difference sometimes, and you don’t realise it.
I wonder if any of the Freedom Writers have inspired others to write, either from the movie or in person. If you get a chance to see the movie, I can recommend it.
Haven’t seen the moveie yet, Yvonne… But I’ve never had to deal with such problems as a student either. I always believed that such stories are imaginary, more or less… And now you come telling me that this is real. So sad… I hope I will see the movie when it comes to Germany. I really enjoyed “To Sir With Love” - it made me cry… And there was a similar one with Michelle Pfeiffer - I don’t remember how it was called.
Mig - Here is an interesting link that says which parts actually happened and what was just for the movie. http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/freedomwriters.php It seems it was pretty close to the true story.
Some of the original freedom writers were extras in the movie, and Erin Gruwell was a consultant. She wanted Hilary Swank to play her (which is what happened). The cast actually experienced some events with Erin Gruwell. This included meeting the original Holocaust survivors who the Freedom Writers met, (the Holocaust survivors played themselves in the movie) and visiting the Holocaust Museum.