The Freedom Writers Diary (31 page)

Our junior year was when we truly started to discredit all of the stereotypes. We decided to make a promise to ourselves that education and tolerance were going to be first. We tore into books that were designated for advanced placement classes. Holden’s thoughts in
The Catcher in the Rye
were becoming clearer as we were going through the same things in our own lives, and Celie’s pain in
The Color Purple
became very familiar. The most important thing that happened that year was during our second semester. It was when we were baptized the Freedom Writers; a name that will forever stay with us, as individuals, and as a movement.

There’s only one way to describe this insane, chaotic, crazy, fun, happy senior year: the time of my life. Thanks to the media, our message exploded. We were in the
L.A. Times
, on
Prime Time Live
, and won
a lot
of awards, and every other minute there was a phone call. The message that we had been trying to build for four years affected everyone in its path, like a huge wave.

Looking back, I can’t believe that those same unteachable kids who refused to speak to each other are today’s Freedom Writers…the same Freedom Writers who became a family. I wonder how we’re going to follow up on this one. How can you top off four years of the greatest experiences a teenager could have? I don’t know, but I’m sure Ms. G has something up her sleeve, she always does. I can’t believe we actually made it, we actually have a diploma that says that we can get out of high school. Four years ago that’s all we wanted to do, we wanted to get the hell out. If we would have, though, what would have become of that guy that used to carry a gun, or that other white kid that actually turned out to be my friend? I bet if it wasn’t for this second family, a lot of people wouldn’t even be with their first. Like that girl that ran away with her boyfriend, or that other guy who used to be all into drugs and ended up back with his family. I guess we have more than just great experiences to be thankful for. I’m going to miss all of those things, but what I’m definitely going to miss most is our classroom, Room 203.

That room wasn’t only a room, though, it was our attic, our basement, and our “kick-it spot,” like Ms. G used to call it. I wonder what it’s going to be like turning the lights off for the last time. The room is definitely never going to be the same. It’s never going to be witness to brilliant ideas at eleven o’clock at night, or police escorts because someone set off the alarm. It’ll probably never see a group of kids who went from little bad-asses to role models, proving everyone, even themselves, wrong. Our lives were shaped in this room and now it will never again be the place of people crying, hugging, hating, commiserating, or tolerating, but who knows? It’s always been said that “All good things come to an end,” but I’m learning that they don’t have to.

Epilogue

I have a dream that…little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

—M
ARTIN
L
UTHER
K
ING
, Jr.

While the Freedom Writers were standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 1997, something magical occurred. As if on cue, all 150 of them joined hands and began to slowly retrace the same steps Martin Luther King, Jr., walked down over thirty years ago. Many were reciting lines from his “I Have a Dream” speech when someone began to chant, “Freedom Writers have a dream!” Soon everyone joined in, and their voices became one. I watched them in awe, knowing this was the “dream” Martin Luther King had envisioned. I was so proud of them! I felt like they were my kids, and for the first time I understood why moms cry at school plays and graduations.

When they got to the bottom of the steps, someone said, “Ms. G., now that we’ve followed in the footsteps of the Freedom Riders by coming to Washington, D.C., our next field trip should be Anne Frank’s attic. After all, that’s where our journey began.” Upon hearing this suggestion, several people started to cheer. Unfortunately, I was not one of them. I was still in “mom” mode and I had to deal with the practical matters of our trip, such as making sure no one got lost or got on the wrong Metro. So planning another trip, especially one to Amsterdam, was totally out of the question. I thought if I just ignore them and their allusions of grandeur, then they’ll eventually forget about it.

But, the seed was already planted. There was no chance of them “forgetting” about our future field trip. Instead, the idea began to gestate. What began as a simple trip to Anne’s secret annex expanded into a tour across the entire European continent. So days after graduation, with diplomas in hand, the wheels were set in motion for our journey abroad. With the same tenacity they used to bring Zlata and the rest of the world to Room 203, they devised a plan that would take us to Europe the following summer.

Since Europe was over a year away, the kids’ education took precedence. The Freedom Writers began college in the fall of 1998. Some attended community colleges, while others went to major universities in states that stretched all the way from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Though their college plans led them in different directions, their common goal remained the same. As to be expected, the first semester was overwhelming for some and liberating for others. The Freedom Writers had to learn how to adapt to dorm life, avoid the “freshman fifteen,” and perfect the art of cramming. Between juggling part-time jobs and studying for midterms, they could barely keep afloat.

Without the comfort of Room 203, they had to adjust to new environments and their newfound freedom. Initially the transition was difficult. Room 203 wasn’t just a classroom, it was home, a safe haven. I realized that in order for them to grow, they had to branch out and explore new ground. Some took off from the gate running, yet others took baby steps through uncharted territory. Regardless of how fast or slow the pace, each Freedom Writer was moving forward in his or her own way.

Not only are they still moving forward, they’re pulling others along too. Mothers, fathers, relatives who went astray, and friends who lost their way. The Freedom Writers also hold sacred the memories of those robbed of of a long life. One of those is Anne Frank. So whenever the pressure seemed too intense and it seemed that they were about to fall, they remembered Anne’s words.

.. we have the opportunity to get an education and make something of ourselves. We have many reasons to hope for great happiness, but we have to earn it. And that is something you can’t achieve by taking the easy ways out. Earning happiness means doing good and working, not speculating and being lazy.

—A
NNE
F
RANK
, July 6, 1944

Anne’s words also inspired me because I too left the safety of Room 203 and said goodbye to Wilson High. I became a “freshman” professor at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) as a “Distinguished Teacher in Residence.” My new position entailed sharing the lessons of the Freedom Writers with future teachers. Ensuring that there will be other 203’s and extended families like the Freedom Writers so that our experience will not be the exception but the norm. Being new to CSULB made me emphathetic to the Freedom Writers’ insecurities and what they were going through at colleges. But I was committed to be there for them whether they stumbled or succeeded.

As in the past, others joined our journey along the way. Days before the second college semester began, we met the civil rights’ activist Harry Belafonte, who was motivated to meet us after seeing the Freedom Writers on television. His tales about Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and the Freedom Riders encouraged us to be more than just tourists on our impending trip to Europe. He told us about the training and preparation the Freedom Riders took before they headed across America in a bus. He made us realize that if we were planning to embark on a symbolic trip, that we too must be prepared. Suddenly, our trip took on a new tone. Since Mr. Belafonte was a dedicated supporter of the Freedom Riders, he challenged us not to talk the talk, but to walk the walk.

Mr. Belafonte’s words were like a starter gun. We realized that the Freedom Writers was more than just a name. The Freedom Riders, Mr. Belafonte explained, risked their lives to benefit the civil rights of human kind. If we were truly going to emulate the Freedom Riders, then our writing must transcend the walls of Room 203 and our individual plights and become a universal message. Our passion for writing and changing the world was rejuvenated.

With the help of Long Beach City College and Barnes & Noble, we created a college course that would allow us to hone our craft. We found other ways of expression, explored other genres, and shared the podium with other voices. In our writing symposium, entitled “Fighting Intolerance,” we solicited help from some of our literary idols. Authors like the incredible journalist Peter Maass and famed Latino poet Jimmy Santiago Baca inspired the students to continue to use writing as a form of empowerment rather than violence. Both Maass and Baca used written expression to embrace their identities and the Freedom Writers followed suit.

The students continued to write and began to forge stronger identities and to create a sense of community and an outlet for expression. The Columbine High School tragedy made the Freedom Writers realize how fortunate they were. But unlike the majority of the country, the Freedom Writers were not quick to vilify Klebold and Harris. Instead, they were empathetic because many of the Freedom Writers felt just as alienated and misunderstood as Klebold and Harris before they found their voices. Before my students found the safety of Room 203, many saw violence as a solution. It wasn’t until the students learned about the pain of Anne Frank, Zlata Filipovic, and others—and saw themselves—were we able to come together as a “family” and label ourselves the Freedom Writers. It wasn’t until we established a supportive classroom environment in Room 203 and were allowed freedom of expression that the students realized violence is never the answer.

Although I’m not an expert on the subject, I’ve always felt that all kids yearn to rebel. Understanding this rebellious nature, I encouraged the Freedom Writers to use a pen as a means of revolution. Through their writing, they discovered they shared a common identity, which united them into a community that connected them, not separated them from the world. Unfortunately, the young men in Columbine didn’t share a community like the Freedom Writers. Instead, they were alone and on the fringe. Their cries for help fell on deaf ears. And rather than picking up a pen and finding a solution, they turned to guns and bombs instead.

In the wake of the Columbine tragedy, the Freedom Writers felt even more committed to preach peace. They deliberately sought young kids who were slipping through the cracks and had been written off as their personal crusade. By doing so, they created a program called “Celebrating Diversity Through the Arts” geared toward teaching tolerance to kids who have been marginalized by society and don’t feel like they fit in. With the help of Barnes & Noble and the Seamless Education partnership in Long Beach, the Freedom Writers began mentoring elementary, junior high, and high school students about the importance of picking up a pen, rather than a weapon, whenever there is a problem; the Freedom Writers have become Ambassadors of Tolerance.

To continue spreading our message, we’ve planned a trip to Europe that will bring our literary journey full circle. Tragically days before we planned to leave for Europe, one of our beloved Freedom Writers passed away on July 13, 1999. He was planning to be one of the Ambassadors of Tolerance—but due to complications from cystic fibrosis, his body rejected his lung transplant. At the funeral, his brave mother boldly told us that her son accomplished all three of his goals—to get his driver’s license, to graduate from high school, and to go to college. (And he did it his way—he got to drive a Mustang, he graduated from high school with honors, and he received a scholarship for college.) The last thing he wanted to do was go to Europe with us. So his mother would know that her son was with us in spirit, the Freedom Writers pledged to light a candle in each city we visit and, upon our return, give her a diary of our trip.

We’ll visit a number of symbolic sites such as Auschwitz, Sarajevo (where we’ll be reunited with Zlata), and the War Tribunal at the Hague. Then we’ll visit Anne’s secret attic in Amsterdam to pay homage to the young woman who in the worst possible situation still believed that “in spite of it all, people are really good at heart.”

Afterward, we’ll return to America on the brink of a new school year and share our new diaries, forge new paths, and continue doing whatever we can to create a peaceful and tolerant world.

Maybe the end of our journey is really just the beginning…

The Freedom Writers see this book as the third leg of a relay race. Anne’s story inspired Zlata, who has been hailed as the modern-day Anne Frank. Zlata then reciprocated by passing the baton to the Freedom Writers. We hope this book will inspire you to be the fourth leg of the race by encouraging you to pick up a pen and be a catalyst for change.

Acknowledgments

A young man walking down the beach observed an old man picking up starfish that had washed up on the shore. As he got closer, he saw the old man throwing them back into the ocean. He approached the man and asked, “What are you doing?” The old man replied, “If I don’t throw the starfish back in the water, they’re going to die.” “But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish. You can’t save them all. Don’t you know you’ll never make a difference!” The old man reached down and picked up a starfish and simply replied, “I’ll make a difference to this one.”

As John Tu told us this story, the Freedom Writers felt like the starfish who washed up on the beach. But luckily, people recognized that they needed help. So Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers would like to thank all the unsung heroes who were willing to make a difference…

S
TEVE
and K
AREN
G
RUWELL
—who inspired us to have the courage to follow our convictions and fight the good fight!

C
HRIS
G
RUWELL
—who gave so much of himself, so we could give to others

J
OHN
T
U
—who is our guardian angel and the epitome of
The Giving Tree

D
ON
P
ARRIS
—who is our friend, confidant, and a true miracle maker

C
AROL
S
CHILD
—who believed our voice should be shared with the world

M
ARVIN
L
EVY
—who recognized the magnitude of our message

S
HARAUD
M
OORE
—who is the original catalyst for change

The Dream Team Moms—who provided us with unconditional love and support (Debbie Mayfield, Mary Rozier, Fran Sandei, Marilyn Tyo, and all the other precious parents and guardians)

A
NTHONY
S
ANZIO
—who honed our voices into a harmonious choir

G
ERDA
S
EIFER
, R
ENEE
F
IRESTONE
, M
EL
M
ERMELSTEIN
, and the many Holocaust survivors who shared their story with us—we promise we’ll never forget!

Dr. C
OHN
and K
ARIN
P
OLACHECK
—who gave us the freedom to dream

Wilson High supporters—who were an integral part of our “village” (the names are too numerous to list here, but you know who you are and we’ll never forget you)

N
ANCY
W
RIDE
—who was the first to tell our story to the world

P
ETER
M
AASS
—who inspired us to fight intolerance through writing

U.S. Secretary of Education R
ICHARD
R
ILEY
—who believes that everyone deserves the right to an education

The Marriott Hotel, International (especially Ms. G’s concierge family)—who allowed us to be a classroom without walls at home and abroad!

United Airlines—who gave many of the Freedom Writers “wings” for the first time

Barnes & Noble (especially A
MY
T
ERRELL
and C
ARRIE
F
ISHER
)—who helped bring literature to life and shared the love of books with our community

GUESS?—who shared the Big Apple and big dreams with us

Southwest Airlines—who gave us the “freedom to fly”

University of California, Irvine—for celebrating diversity

National University—who originated “Freedom Writer Magic”

California State University, Long Beach—who expanded our horizons

Long Beach City College—who replaced Room 203 as our second home (especially Robert Hill, Rick Perez, Frank Gaspar, and Betty Martin)

Scholastic, Inc.—who helped make reading fun

The Museum of Tolerance—who opened our hearts and minds

The Anne Frank Center, U.S.A.—who keep Anne’s spirit alive

L
INDA
L
AVIN
—who made us “proud to be part of the human race” too

C
ONNIE
C
HUNG
, T
RACY
D
URNING
, and R
OBERT
C
AMPOS
—who shared our story with millions

M
ARLY
R
USOFF
—who believed in us

J
ANET
H
ILL
—who has become an honorary Freedom Writer

And to all our family members, friends, loyal chaperones, colleagues, college and graduate students, and avid supporters who have helped us along the way.

And also to you,
the reader
—we now pass the baton to you…