Freedom Writers

Everyone's story is worth telling. That's what is portrayed in the movie "Freedom Writers". A movie that taught me the concept of "Cathartic writing". It's based on a true story. I like Ms Erin Gruwell for her unwavering commitment to the students of her class. I saw this movie many years back and it stayed with me. My connection with this movie is like one of those many of my connections that doesn't fade away with time.

She believes that she can bring a change. She is deeply invested in her students' well being. Every small thing she did took her students' forward on their journey to accepting each other and hope for the good in dark times. She fought the system to give them true education, not the bookish education.

She encouraged them to write their stories in their own diaries. Because she felt their story is worth writing. She also told them their stories won't be graded. How can she grade them for writing the truth.

As the students begin writing, they slowly reveal their fears, anger, grief, dreams, and hopes. Through writing, they discover that although their lives are different, their pain is often similar. The students became more empathetic to each other after listening to each other's experiences. 

She introduced the students to books like "The Diary of a Young Girl". They realize that someone living in another place and another era experienced prejudice and fear similar to their own. They even raised money to invite Miep Gies, who helped hide Anne Frank during the Holocaust, to speak to their class.

I admire Ms Gruwell's optimism that she can truly bring a change. She stayed calm and steady in face of adversities. She helped her students' become more confident, helped them trust each other across racial lines, improve academically and start believing in themselves. She profoundly changed their classroom experience.