The Freedom Writers Diary - Erin Gruwell [83]
My aunt’s niece and her friends would bring drugs in and out of our home; they would stay up at all times of the day and night, while my sister and I would stay locked up in our room. The two of us had the opportunity to become really close, so at least something positive was coming out of all this negativity.
My aunt continued to be her sweet self with me only until her boyfriend got out of jail. Suddenly, she was constantly out and I felt as though she totally forgot all about me and I couldn’t understand why. She started to play favorites with her niece and for some reason it all made sense: They were planning on moving out together, but my sister and I weren’t included. So, we did what we had to; my sister moved in with the neighbors and I’m living with a cousin who offered to take me in. She has been one of the best things that has happened to me in my entire life. I’m only hoping that nothing will happen to cause me to lose her, too.
Unlike my biological family, the Freedom Writers understand me and have been there for me for a long time. They have actually had the time and patience to listen to me, to help me, and to support me. Even though my mother left me when I was young, I have had many people try to fill the role of a mother. Many have not accomplished the position very well, but Ms. Gruwell has succeeded. I appreciate her and the Freedom Writers for what they have done and given me. They have helped me become a stronger person.
Senior Year Fall 1997
Entry 7. Ms. Gruwell
Dear Diary,
Getting permission to teach senior English has not been an easy feat. I forgot that the reason I had these students as freshmen in the first place was that I was told, “Things are based on seniority around here.” Since I have no seniority to speak of, teaching seniors sort of rocked the boat. Luckily, my superintendent, Dr. Cohn, and the president of the Board of Education, Karin Polacheck, realized that this particular boat needed rocking.
Dr. Cohn & Karin Polacheck accompanied us to Washington, D.C., and since “they’re down” for the cause they immediately became part of our family. The kids even got Dr. Cohn out on the dance floor while we cruised up the Potomac River on a tour boat. He’s been a great role model for my students. Since there seems to be an absence of men in some of the kids’ families, many of them look up to him as an adopted father figure. As an African American with roots in Long Beach, he saw the value of supporting our unique family.
My primary focus this fall will be to get the Freedom Writers thinking about their future—where they want to go to school and what kind of career they want to pursue. When Secretary Riley told my students “everybody deserves a college education,” I interpreted it as a personal challenge to make sure that all the Freedom Writers would go to college. Our trip to Washington and Riley’s speech made the kids feel almost anything was possible, but the idea of going to college is completely foreign for a lot of my students. Since many of them will be the first in their family to graduate from high school, their parents aren’t pushing them to go to college.
Since my parents went to college, it was expected of me that I would go too. We talked about college at the dinner table, my parents paid for me to take SAT prep classes, they took me to visit colleges and they even helped me fill out my applications. As I became more familiar with my students and their circumstances, I realized (sadly) that the same thing doesn’t hold true for most of the Freedom Writers since some of their parents don’t speak English and can’t help them fill out applications; and others can’t afford to pay the application fee.
What I need to do is let them know that I understand how difficult all of this is and introduce them to different options. I realize how daunting the process is and I don’t want them to feel overwhelmed. To help level the playing field, I plan to take them on college tours and bring in specialists who can help them fill out financial aid forms and prepare