Speaker Erin Gruwell's Inspiring Teaching Journey Featured in New Documentary, "Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart"
14 Mar 2019
Airing on March 28th at 8pm on PBS SoCal, the new documentary film Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart follows Southern California teacher and speaker Erin Gruwell’s journey to change the lives of her students.
After graduating college in the '90s, Gruwell took her first job teaching at-risk 9th graders who were deemed “unteachable.” The documentary, directed and executively produced by Don Hahn (The Gamble House, Maleficent, The Lion King), illustrates Gruwell’s refusal to give up on her students. Because of her passionate, innovative teaching methods, all 150 kids went on to graduate, many even pursuing higher education and obtaining successful careers.
Erin Gruwell continues to be a passionate educator and advocate for diversity and equality. Her inspiring story was also featured in the 2007 major motion picture Freedom Writers, starring Hilary Swank. As a speaker, Gruwell shares the importance of teaching tolerance, becoming a catalyst for change and developing crucial leadership skills as an educator.