The Freedom Writers Diary - Erin Gruwell [119]
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