Sponsored by the East Side Freedom Library

and the

Saint Paul Federation of Teachers

THE EDUCATION AND FILM DISCUSSION SERIES CONTINUES

with the feature length dramatic film

FREEDOM WRITERS

In mid-1990s Los Angeles, a class of students labeled “low achievers” connect with a creative teacher and find inspiration in the writings of Anne Frank and Zlata Fillipovic. They coined the name “Freedom Writers” to connect with the Freedom Riders who had helped launch the civil rights movement. One later explained: “We discovered that writing is a powerful form of self-expression that could help us deal with our past and move forward.” They dug deep as individuals while supporting each other as a community. Ultimately, they not only succeeded in school and produced a book, but they committed themselves to the project of changing education and changing society.