FAQ - Freedom Writers Foundation

The Freedom Writers Foundation, a non-profit organization, positively impacts communities by decreasing high school drop out rates through the replication and enhancement of the Freedom Writer Method.

Across the nation and in any community where students have had access to the Freedom Writers story, through the book, presentations, workshops and scholarships, thousands of people have been touched by Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers.

1 out of 3 students who start a public education do not complete high school. Every nine seconds, a student drops out of school in the United States. These alarming facts have long lasting effects on our families, classrooms, schools, and communities.

Due to the efforts of Erin Gruwell, the Freedom Writers and the FWF, thousands of teachers and community members are empowered to inspire and reach those students who might otherwise be left behind.

Many teaching methods aim to increase students’ interest in school and, in turn, help to decrease high school drop-out rates. The Freedom Writers Method differs in several ways:

The Freedom Writers Method not only increases the involvement and satisfaction of students with school but also of teachers. Teachers on the brink of quitting the profession find renewed energy and focus for teaching using a method that helps them to better reach their students.

Author’s proceeds from the sale of The Freedom Writers Diary and any associated products, as well as payment for the rights to use The Freedom Writers Diary in Paramount Pictures’ “Freedom Writers,” support the work of the Freedom Writers Foundation.

The Freedom Writers Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Delaware and is governed by an independent board of directors to which it is accountable. The Freedom Writers Foundation is also accountable to the teachers it serves and to the schools and districts in which they teach. Finally, the foundation is accountable to sponsoring foundations and corporations that invest in our programs. Annual audits of both the financial and program activities of the foundation are implemented and made available to the public for review.

As a non-profit organization, the FWF relies on a variety of funding sources, including the support of generous donors and revenue generated from the sale of the Freedom Writers Diary and other products and services.

Currently, the FWF is seeking financial partners, including individuals, corporations and foundations throughout North America to support our programs. The FWF Board of Directors, with the help of community and corporate leaders, is spearheading the effort to raise funds and awareness.

The Freedom Writers Foundation received a modest initial payment for the rights to tell the Freedom Writers story, but will not receive proceeds from the movie revenues. A portion of initial payment has been used to provide Freedom Writers with college scholarships and fulfilling other educational needs.

Friends and supporters of the Freedom Writers Foundation share a common mission: improve education for our youth, while reducing high school drop out rates. Your support of the FWF and our programs will ensure that we meet our current and future needs as means to accomplish this mission.

One of the main goals of the Freedom Writers Foundation for 2007 is to train 150 teachers in the Freedom Writers Method. The Freedom Writers Foundation also plans to begin a capital campaign to eventually build the Freedom Writers Institute campus. This teacher training center will be a community devoted to providing teachers with both the techniques and the curriculum that enable them to return to their classrooms and replicate Erin Gruwell’s success.

You have the opportunity to be part of this exciting educational mission and we look forward to working together to support Freedom Writer Teachers and the untapped potential of our future - our students!

Erin dedicates her time and energy to the Freedom Writers Foundation and its Freedom Writers Institute teacher training workshops. Erin believes that by giving other teachers the opportunity, tools and inspiration to reach their students that they will in turn acquire the ability to make incredible changes in their own classrooms. By empowering teachers to empower their students, Erin has been able to touch more teenagers’ lives than if she remained a single voice in a classroom. She also shares her story with audiences across the globe.

The focus of the Freedom Writers Foundation is to affect schools, teenagers and teachers nationwide. Though Room 203 was our home, our vision has expanded beyond Wilson High School to address a more universal problem.

What was your first impression of the students and the obstacles they faced?

I was a little naïve to the situation before me. I was a young, fresh teacher who was incredibly excited to be in her first classroom. However, I soon became overwhelmed by the differences that my students and I seemingly had. They had no hope and thought, for the most part, that the world had given up on them. I was overwhelmed with how to change their views and to let them know that they had a chance and someone did care for them. I also knew that I wouldn’t give up on them. I was determined not to quit but instead to find a means by which to reach these kids.

My reward has been seeing the Freedom Writers succeed. I have watched them accomplish so much over their years and today they are still an inspiration to me. I also get that same sense of reward when I’m teaching teachers how to deal with the same obstacles that I did. Helping teachers connect with their students on an emotional level is truly the most rewarding experience.

My inspiration came from a note that was passed around my class that was making fun of an African American student. When I compared that note to the Holocaust propaganda, my students didn’t even know what the Holocaust was. It was truly a teachable moment when we connected the dots of the realities between the Holocaust and the gang violence that my students personally knew. If we don’t teach history, we are bound to repeat it and I wanted to teach my students to know about the history that they were unknowingly repeating.

Paramount Pictures did a wonderful job of researching our story for accuracy. Actual Freedom Writers were involved with the script, were invited on the set, and interacted with the actors. This movie is as accurate as a movie can be about a real life story.

When I watch the movie, it’s surreal. Hilary Swank was my first choice to play me because I knew she would do a wonderful job in her portrayal. Her clothes and mannerisms are a lot like me in real life. It is a little daunting though because that’s my life on the screen - all of it - but I’m extremely proud of the way it turned out.

Writing allowed the Freedom Writers to concentrate on school. Since they wrote and talked so much about their feelings and struggles, they were not bogged down with the heavy burdens associated with growing up in an urban environment. Also, because of the "Toast for Change," they were no longer involved in the activities that had once interfered with school, and they focused on academics and dispelling stereotypes and labels that had been placed on them.

When reading Anne Frank's and Zlata Filipovic's diaries, the Freedom Writers were struck by the similarities between these teenagers' lives and their own. They recognized the emotions, thoughts, and experiences Anne and Zlata described as teenagers growing up amidst violence. They hope students who have struggled with violence, abuse, the loss of a family member, or learning disabilities will read this book and see that they are not alone.

The diary entries are all original entries and were edited by fellow Freedom Writers for grammar and not content. The publisher of The Freedom Writers Diary, Doubleday-Broadway Books, also provided guidance for the book.

Erin encouraged her students while providing them with the opportunity to express their feelings on paper. Erin played no part in formulating the content of her students’ entries. In The Freedom Writers Diary, Erin contributed her own writings throughout the students’ entries.

Was it difficult for the Freedom Writers to write such personal stories in their diaries?
Revealing painful episodes in one’s life is a difficult process. Writing about the adversities the Freedom Writers faced was definitely upsetting, but it was also a cathartic process that none of the Freedom Writers would give back. They were able to finally validate their pain, share it with their peers, and realize that they were not alone in their struggles.

Many of the other Freedom Writers have graduated from colleges and graduate schools and are still in touch with Ms. Gruwell and the other Freedom Writers. Some are currently part of the staff at the Freedom Writers Foundation, and some currently teach in the Long Beach Unified School District. One student, whose sole mission as a freshman was to “make Ms. Gruwell cry,” is now a teacher at one of Long Beach’s toughest high schools.

Where did the Freedom Writers go on their "Ambassadors of Tolerance Tour?"
They started their AOT Tour in England, where they visited London and Oxford, and then they were off to

Poland

. They spent some time in Warsaw, and later they visited the Chelmno Extermination and Auschwitz Concentration Camps. On their next stop, the Netherlands, they got a chance to see Anne Frank's attic, and visit the Rijks and Van Gogh Museums. They also went to the World Court in The Hague, and sat in on a "crimes of war" trial. Their next stop was Sarajevo, Bosnia, where they caught up with their friend, Zlata. While in Sarajevo, they also joined a group of Muslim, Croatian, and Serbian students from the University of Sarajevo, and together, they had a Peace Planning Summit, where they discussed possible ways that they could help ensure peace in both their countries. From Bosnia, they drove to Zagreb, Croatia and caught a plane back to London, where they spent one last night before departing for New York to meet with their publisher.

Has Erin returned to visit Wilson High School?
The Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell maintain an active relationship with the Long Beach Unified School District through the college aide system, mentoring programs, teacher training, and workshops. Several Wilson teachers now serve on the Educational Advisory Board of the FWF.

Do any of the Freedom Writers plan to become teachers?
Several Freedom Writers currently teach at the middle school and high school level in the Long Beach Unified School District, while others are currently enrolled in teaching credential programs at California State University at Long Beach and at other schools. Others are studying to become school administrators. Many of the Freedom Writers also are instructors at the Freedom Writers Institute teacher training workshops. Their hope is to help all students; especially those with backgrounds similar to the Freedom Writers reach their full academic potential.