>>> JUST HOW POWERFUL IS A PEN, PAPER AND THE IREXPIRATION OF A TEACHER?

>> ON THE FIRST DAY WHEN MY SYLLABUS HAD HOMER AND SHAKESPEARE CAME BACK AT ME IN THE FORM OF AN AIRPLANE AND A VERY POIGNANT QUESTION WAS, "Y DO WE READ BOOKS BY DEAD WHITE GUYS IN TIGHTS?"

>> FIND OUT WHAT TEACHER ERIN GRUWELL HAS TO SAY ABOUT CHANGING A LESSON PLAN AND HOW THAT CHANGED THE LIVES OF HER STUDENTS FOREVER.

UP NEXT, A CONVERSATION WITH THE WOMAN WHO INSPIRED THE FREEDOM WRITERS.

STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE A LIST.

CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION ASSOCIATES, LLC www.captionassociates.com >> ERIN GRUWELL, A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE WHERE SHE RECEIVED THE LAWS AND LAURELS DIVISHZ ALUMNI AWARD.

SHE ALSO EARN HER MASTER'S DEGREE AND TEACHING CREDENTIALS FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH WAR SHE WAS HONORED AS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS BY THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION.

>> MY UNCLE IS LIKE ANY OTHER UNCLE.

HE WAS NICE AND -- >> ERIN'S TIME IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE IMPACT HER TEACHING HAD ON A GROUP OF TROUBLE TEENS HAS BROUGHT ABOUT HOPE AND CHANGE FOR MANY.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH ERIN WHEN SHE WAS IN CHATTANOOGA AS THE GUEST SPEAKER FOR THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF RESTART, A LOCAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ADULT EDUCATION.

>> IT HAS CHANGED, SEVERAL SECRETARIES HAD IT PUT DOWN AND HE SAID NO I'M NOT A HERO.

I SIMPLY DID WHAT I HAD TO DO BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

>> WELL, ERIN, WELCOME TO THE A LIST!

I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

I AM SO THRILLED TO BE HERE IN CHATTANOOGA.

>> WELL, GOOD.

NOW TELL US, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW YOUR STORY, LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING.

>> OKAY.

>> A GIRL FROM CALIFORNIA WHO WANTED TO BE A LAWYER AND ENDED UP CHANGING YOUR CAREER TO BE A TEACHER.

>> I DID.

I WALKED IN WEARING THE SAME DRESS AS JULIA ROBERTS DID IN PRETTY WOMAN, POLKA DOTS AND PEARLS INTO A CLASS OF 150 14-YEAR-OLDS.

AND THEY HATED READING, THEY HATED WRITING, AND THEY HATED ME.

AND SO THAT WAS DAY ONE.

AND IN THE CITY, IT WAS A CITY OF TRANSITION.

THERE'D BEEN 126 MURDERS AND SO THAT WAS REALLY THE BACKDROP OF WHERE -- OF WHERE THESE KIDS WERE COMING FROM.

FEELING THAT THAT WAS THEIR ONLY OPTION, TO BE PREGNANT BY THE TIME THEY WERE 15, BEHIND BARS BY THE TIME THEY WERE 16, AND SIX FEET UNDER BY THE TIME THEY WERE 18.

AND SO WHAT I HAD TO DO IS BREAK THROUGH AND LET THEM KNOW THAT EVERYONE HAS A STORY AND YOU NEED TO REWRITE THAT STORY, REWRITE THAT ENDING.

AND SO IT BECAME THIS ODYSSEY, A JOURNEY OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE 150 STUDENTS FINDING THEIR VOICE AND FINDING THEIR VOICE THROUGH GREAT WORKS OF LITERATURE, FINDING THEIR VOICE THROUGH STORIES WRITTEN BY ANNE FRANK AND ELIE LISELE AND OTHER YOUNG KIDS WHO LIVED IN WARS AND WERE ABLE TO IMMORTALIZE THEIR STRUGGLES AND THEIR STORY.

AND SO MY STUDENTS REALIZED THAT THEY COULD PUT DOWN THE FIST AND PUT DOWN A GUN AND SLOWLY BUT SURE RI PICK UP A PEN AND TELL THEIR OWN STORY.

AND SO IT BECAME THIS INCREDIBLE ODYSSEY ABOUT THE POWER OF TELLING A STORY, THE POWER OF WRITING, THE POWER OF EDUCATION, AND FINALLY THE POWER OF OVERCOMING ADVERSITY.

AND SO THESE 150 KIDS WHO WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT GRADUATED AND BECAME PUBLISHED AUTHORS AND, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS FOR CHANGE AND COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND NOW THEY'RE THESE GREAT CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

>> AT THE AGE OF 23, ERIN FOUND HERSELF IN HOSTILE TERRITORY.

HER TEACHING YEAR LAUNCHED HER INTO A LONG BEACH CLASSROOM IN AN ERA THAT FOLLOW THE L.A.

RIOTS AND O.J.

SIMPSON TRIAL.

ERIN'S IMPRESSIONS OF WHAT TEACHING WOULD BE LIKE CHANGED DRASTICALLY.

THE SYLLABUS CHANGED, AND BY SEEKING OUT TRUE STORIES WRITTEN BY INDIVIDUALS THAT HER STUDENTS COULD RELATE TORQUE THE LEARNING PROCESS BEGAN TO EVOLVE.

>> NOW, WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THAT CLASSROOM, IN CLASSROOM 203 AT WILSON HIGH, YOU CERTAINLY HAD A VISION.

I MEAN, YOU HAD YOUR SYLLABUS.

YOU KNEW WHAT AUTHORS THEY WERE GOING TO READ AND WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO STUDY.

HOW DID THAT CHANGE AND WHY DID KIND OF YOUR, YOUR DIRECTION AS A TEACHER CHANGE SO DRAMATICALLY FROM WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE?

>> WELL, IT CHANGED ON THE FIRST DAY WHEN MY SYLLABUS WHERE I HAD HOMER AND SHAKESPEARE CAME BACK AT ME IN THE FORM OF A AIRPLANE AND A VERY POIGNANT QUESTION WAS, "WHY DO WE READ BOOKS BY DEAD WHITE GUYS IN TIGHTS?"

AND AT THAT MOMENT, I REALIZED THAT MY STUDENTS COULD CARE LESS ABOUT SHAKESPEARE BECAUSE IN THEIR MIND, SHAKESPEARE IS NOT GOING TO LEAP OUT OF THE PAGES OF THE BOOK AND HAVE THEIR BACK, AND HOMER IS NOT GOING TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE, AND THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY THESE PLACES ON A MAP.

THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT GREEK MYTHOLOGY.

THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT IAMBIC PENTAMETER.

AND SO AT THAT POINT EVERYTHING FOR THEM WAS LITERAL.

IT WAS ABOUT SURVIVAL.

AND SO I THINK IN FINDING THOSE STORIES WRITTEN BY KIDS AND THAT PLACE OF DESPERATION GAVE MY STUDENTS THIS FEELING THAT WE TOO ARE SURVIVORS.

AND THEN DESPERATELY TRYING TO BRING THOSE BOOKS TO LIFE, SAYING THAT I NEED TO BRING IN THOSE CHILDREN WHO SURVIVED AUSCHWITZ WHO CAN ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVE AND SHOW THE TATTOO ON THEIR ARM AND SAY, I MADE IT BUT NOBODY ELSE IN MY FAMILY OR MY VILLAGE OR MY COMMUNITY DID, AND I HAVE TO LIVE TO TELL THE STORY OF THE SIX MILLION WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US.

AND SO IT BECAME THIS POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD AND THE STORY TELLING AND THIS FEELING OF HOW WHEN YOU SURVIVE, YOU HAVE TO GIVE BACK.

I THINK THE CLICHE ABOUT TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED TO GIVE IN RETURN.

MY FAVORITE WAS A WOMEN NAMED RENEE FIRESTONE WHO WAS THEIR AGE WHEN SHE WAS AT AUSCHWITZ.

AND SHE REMEMBERS DR. MENGELE.

HER SISTER WAS HANDPICKED FOR EXPERIMENTS, LOST HER PARENTS IN A CHIMNEY, AND SHE SAID TO MY STUDENTS, "EVIL PREVAILS WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING, AND IF YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON, YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING."

AND I NEVER WOULD ENVISION THAT JUST HER WORDS AND HER STORY AND THE BOOKS THAT WE READ WOULD HAVE ENCOURAGED MY STUDENTS TO SOME DAY TAKE THAT JOURNEY TO AUSCHWITZ AND WE WENT TOGETHER.

I TOOK MY STUDENTS TO POLAND.

WE WALKED ON THE SAME RAILROAD TRACKS.

WE WENT UNDER THE SIGN THAT SAID, "ARBEIT MACHT FREI," AND YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THE CREMATORIUMS AND SAW WHAT RENEE HAD BROUGHT TO LIFE FOR US.

AT ONE POINT, IT HAD JUST BEEN WORDS ON A PAGE OR THESE IMAGES IN A MOVIE THEATRE WHEN WE SAW "SCHINDLER'S LIST."

AND SO THERE WAS THIS FEELING OF WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

WE'VE MADE SOME BAD CHOICES AND WE'VE DONE BAD THINGS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE US BAD PEOPLE.

BUT NOW THAT WE'RE DOING BETTER AND THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GIVE BACK AND WE HAVE TO GIVE BACK TO THE INNER CITIES OF OUR OWN COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS THIS URBAN GENOCIDE, AND WE CAN'T STAND IDLY BY.

YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS SCREAMING IN AN ALLEY, WE'VE GOT TO PICK UP THE PHONE.

IF WE SEE SOMEBODY IN NEED, WE'VE GOT TO REACH OUT A HAND.

AND I THINK SO MUCH HAPPENS IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE TURN A BLIND EYE AND THERE'S A FEELING OF I DON'T WANT TO SNITCH, I DON'T WANT TO RAT ON A HOMEBOY AND THERE'S A CULTURE THAT'S PERMEATING WHERE MY KIDS SAID WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DONE.

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

>> IF ERIN DOING SOMETHING MEANT USING HER CLASSROOM AS A PLATFORM AND THOUGH IT TOOK TIME, ERIN ENGAGED THE 14 AND 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS, INTRODUCING LITERATURE WRITTEN BY PEOPLE OF THE SAME AGE GROUP, TRUE STORIES OF SURVIVAL AND THEIR ATTEMPT TO OVERCOME THE ODDS SETH AGAINST THEM.

THE FIRST BOOK WAS THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK.

>> AND THAT'S PRETTY DRAMATIC FOR A CLASS.

AS I UNDERSTAND, WHEN YOU FIRST INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF THE HOLOCAUST AND ANNE FRANK, ONLY ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS EVEN RECOGNIZED WHAT THAT WAS.

>> MM-HMM, AND THAT TO ME WAS AMAZING.

MY STUDENTS BOUNCED AROUND FROM FOSTER HOME TO FOSTER HOME TO GROUP HOME.

MANY OF MY STUDENTS DIDN'T KNOW THEIR FATHERS.

MY STUDENTS WATCHED THESE HARD-WORKING SINGLE MOMS GO OFF AND WORK THREE MENIAL JOBS AND WEREN'T HOME TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR DINNER, AND SO I REALIZED THAT ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT I TOOK FOR GRANTED, MY STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE.

AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING IT IN TEXTBOOKS, THEY WEREN'T HAVING TEACHERS BRING THAT STUFF TO LIFE BECAUSE TEACHERS THOUGHT THEY WERE DUMB.

THEY TREATED THEM LIKE THEY WERE STUPID OR HAD WRITTEN THEM OFF.

AND SO IT REALLY BECAME THIS MOMENT, THIS MOMENT WHERE I THOUGHT I HAVE TO BRING EVERY STORY TO LIFE FOR THESE KIDS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

SO WE'LL GO TO MUSEUMS AND WE'LL GO SEE MOVIES AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, BRING IN GUEST SPEAKERS.

AND I MET A LOT OF RESISTANCE, NOT FROM THE KIDS.

THE KIDS WERE REAL EXCITED, BUT FROM THE BUREAUCRACY.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PAY FOR THE BUSES, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE ME THE BOOKS.

THEY KIND OF WROTE OFF ALL OF MY CRAZY SCHEMES.

>> TOOU TO A LACK OF FUNDING, ERIN TOOK ON EXTRA JOBS TO RAISE THE DOLLARS NEEDED TO PURCHASE BOOKS FOR HER STUDENTS.

SHE TOOK A JOB SELLING LINGERIE AT A DEPARTMENT STORE.

BEGAN TEACHING NIGHT CLASSES AT A NEARBY UNIVERSITY, AND EVEN WORKED AS A CONCIERGE AT A HOTEL, ALL OF IT SO EACH STUDENT COULD HAVE A COPY OF THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK TO KEEP AS THEIR OWN.

>> THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THESE KIDS HAD ACTUALLY OWNED A BOOK.

THAT WAS THE IRONY OF IT.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE BOOKS IN THEIR HOMES.

THERE WASN'T A LIBRARY IN THEIR LIVING ROOM.

AND SO THE FIRST TIME MY KIDS WERE ABLE TO PICK UP A BOOK AND SMELL IT AND FOLD BACK THE PAGES AND REALIZE THAT THEY WEREN'T YELLOW AND MILDEWY AND GRAFFITI IN THEM AND THAT THIS WAS THEIR BOOK.

THE POWER OF OWNERSHIP AND THE POWER OF HAVING SOMETHING TO BE THEIRS, WAS -- IT WAS LIFE CHANGING.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE JOURNALS?

HOW IMPORTANT WAS JOURNALING TO YOUR STUDENTS' LIVES AND WHAT MADE YOU THINK OF THAT IDEA?

>> DESPERATION.

LIKE I SAY, EVERYTHING I TRIED DIDN'T WORK AND I THINK I LEARNED I HAD I HAD TO BE FLEXIBLE, I HAD TO THROW THINGS OUT AND TRY THINGS.

SOME OF THEM ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT.

THE IDEA WAS HOW DO I GO TO WHERE THEY'RE AT?

HOW DO I BUILD A BRIDGE BETWEEN WHAT I HAVE TO TEACH AND WHERE THEY ARE?

AND THAT COMMON THREAD WAS INTOLERANCE.

WE KNOW PAIN, WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO STAND IN ASSEMBLY LINES AT FUNERALS.

WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO WALK AROUND AND BE AFRAID AND FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A BULLS-EYE ON OUR CHEST.

WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THAT PANG OF HUNGER IN OUR STOMACH AND REALIZE THAT WHEN WE OPEN THE REFRIGERATOR, THAT THERE'S NO FOOD.

WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE LONELY AND TO HAVE LONGING, AND SO THE IDEA WAS TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE FEELINGS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY KNEW AND TO PUT IT ON PAPER AND TO OWN IT AND TO SAY, THIS IS YOUR TRUTH, AND IF YOU OWN IT, IT'S PART OF THE HUMAN PROCESS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE PAINFUL AND DILL AND WE'RE GOING TO LAUGH AND WE'RE GOING TO CRY, BUT OWN YOUR STORY THE WAY THAT ANNE FRANK OWNED HERS.

OWN YOUR STORY IN THE WAY THAT ELIEWIESEL DID FOR NIGHT.

I THINK FOR A LOT OF KIDS IT'S ABOUT SURVIVAL AND YOU ARE SUPPRESS AND THAT IT'S EASIER TO FORGET BECAUSE IF YOU FORGET IT MAKES THAT DAY A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND IF WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO TO THAT REALLY PAINFUL PLACE AND REMEMBER THE PAIN, IT'S REALLY HARD.

SO WHEN THE JOURNALING STARTED, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF TEARS AND AND A LOT OF EMOTION, AND THEN IT LED TO THIS WATERSHED OF SHARING AND SAYING I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT STOOD ON THE LEDGE.

I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT WAS BEATEN.

I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HATES MY LIFE.

AND I THINK WHEN THOSE COMMONALITIES CAME TO LIGHT, I THINK A ROOM FULL OF STRANGERS REALIZED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MUCH MORE SIMILAR THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT AND THERE'S OTHERS IN THIS CLASS WHO CAN HELP.

THAT COMMONALITY REALLY STARTED BUILDING THESE BONDS, AND THEIR WRITING IMPROVED AND THEIR STORY-TELLING IMPROVED BECAUSE I THINK THEY WANTED TO SHARE, AND THEY WANTED N THAT MOMENT OF SHARING, FOR IT TO MATTER.

AND I'M AMAZED WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THOSE ORIGINAL DIARIES AND I GO BACK AND REREAD THE FREEDOM WRITERS DIARY.

OH, MY GOD, AMAZING WRITERS BECAUSE IT WAS COMING FROM A PLACE OF THEIR TRUTH.

AND MY STUDENTS ARE INCREDIBLE WRITERS.

IRONICALLY THEY WEREN'T INITIALLY GREAT GRAMMARIANS AND THEY BUTCHER THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND SOME OF THEM WENT TO HAVE TO COLLEGE AND WERE ENGLISH MAJORS WHICH WAS HYSTERICAL US WHAT THEY LEARN THAT THEY LOVED THAT WRITING AND SO JOURNALLING WAS THAT FIRST STEP AND THE POWER OF GREAT LITERATURE AND GREAT STORIES.

>> AND WHILE THE YEARS OF EDUCATION AND TIME SPENT IN THE CLASSROOM GAVE HER A GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF LITERATURE, NOTHING FOR PREPARE ERIN FOR THE STORIES SHE WOULD SOON ENCOUNTER.

THE STUDENTS WROTE AND SUBMITTED THEIR JOURNALS ANONYMOUSLY SHARING THE REALITY OF THEIR OWN LIVES.

ERIN SAYS IT WAS THE IMPACT OF ANNE FRANK THAT INSPIRED THE TEENS AND EVENTUALLY LED THEM DOWN A PATH TOWARDS PUBLICATION.

>> AND THOSE JOURNALS BECAME A BOOK.

>> IT'S CRAZY, CRAZY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I THINK WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK AND WE FOUND OUT IT'S THE SECOND MOST READ BOOK BEHIND THE BIBLE AND THAT IT'S BEEN TRANSLATED IN, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 60 LANGUAGES AND HAS HAD THIS LEGACY FROM FOURTH GRADERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH GRANDPARENTS, AND SHE WAS 12 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE STARTED, AND ON HER 13th BIRTHDAY, SHE GOT THE DIARY, AND ON HER 15th BIRTHDAY, THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT, THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO LEAVE THIS ATTIC AND BE THIS GREAT JOURNALIST AND SHE DIDN'T.

AND SO FOR THAT VERY SMALL PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, FOR HER TO POUR SO MUCH INTO A DIARY AND TO HAVE IT BE RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE REALLY GAVE MY STUDENTS WHO IN MY CLASS WERE 14 WHEN THEY STARTED, THEN TURNED 15, TO REALIZE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.

AND I THINK I SOPS AMAZING THAT WHEN WE DECIDED TO WRITE A BOOK, WE WERE HOPING THAT WE COULD FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ANNE AND NOT REALIZING THAT ANYONE WOULD TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND IT'S DAUNTING BECAUSE THOSE ARE REALLY BIG SHOES TO FILL.

SHE REALLY SET THE BAR AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE GOLD STANDARD BUT WE JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO USE HER AS OUR BEGINNING AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT, WAS HONORING HER AND HONORING HER LEGACY.

SHOWING THE POWER OF BEING A STORY-TELLER AT A YOUNG AGE.

>> IN 2007, A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE WAS RELEASED.

>> MY NAME IS ERIN GRUWELL.

>> DETAILING THE VIOLENCE, INTOLERANCE AND INDIFFERENCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF LONG BEACH.

BASED ON A BEST SELLING BOOK, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TITLE.

FREEDOM WRITERS.

A TITLE THAT PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST THE FREEDOM RIDERS.

ACTRESS HILLARY SWANG PORTRAYED ERIN AS A YOUNG TEACHER AND THE MOVIE CONVEYED WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR THE STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.

>> YOU CAN GET BLASTED ANY TIME YOU WALK OUT YOUR DOOR.

>> NOW, HOW DID THE MOVIE COME ABOUT?

HILLARY SWANK, YOU KNOW, MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, FREEDOM WRITERS ON THE BIG SCREEN.

YOU KNOW, WHO PRESENTED YOU WITH THIS IDEA AND HOW NERVOUS WERE YOU IN TRANSLATING THE REALITY OF YOUR LIFE AND THESE STUDENTS' LIVES INTO A MEDIUM THAT COULD VERY WELL ALTER IT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE WERE SO LUCKY.

THE STORY MADE ITS WAY ON TO ABC NEWS, AND THE WOMAN WHO ACTUALLY PRODUCED THE PIECE SPENT ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND EVERY DAY IN MY CLASSROOM WITH MY STUDENTS AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM AND THOUGHT THIS HAS TO BE A STORY.

AND SO SHE GOT MARRIED, AND HER HUSBAND HAD WORKED ON A FILM, AND HE LOVED THE BOOK AND LOVED THE NEWSREEL, AND HE PRESENTED IT TO THE SCREEN WRITERS AND PRODUCERS WHO HAD MADE "ERIN BROCKOVICH," AND IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A STORY ABOUT THE UNDERDOG TAKING ON THE BIG SYSTEM.

ERIN BROCKOVICH TAKING ON PG&E.

AND SO WHEN I MET THIS SCREENWRITER, I THOUGHT, AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER AND SOMEBODY WHO HELPED MY STUDENTS WRITE A BOOK, THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE MOVIE HAD TO BE THE SCREENPLAY.

THE SCREENPLAY HAD TO RING TRUE AND WE HAD TO FIND SOMEBODY AT LEAST VALUE OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATE WITH US BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH RACE AND DEALING WITH INEQUALITY, IT'S A VERY DELICATE, DANGEROUS SITUATION, BECAUSE IF YOU PLAY IT WRONG, YOU LOSE ALL CREDIBILITY.

AND SO THE VERY FIRST TIME I MET THE SCREEN WRITER, WE BOTH WERE TERRIFIED.

HE DESPERATELY WANTED TO DO IT.

I WANTED TO FIND THE RIGHT PERSON.

AND OUR SCREENWRITER WAS THIS KID WHO WAS POOR, ED GROWN UP AND HIS DAD WAS A TAXICAB DRIVER AND ED NEVER FORGOT HIS ROOTS.

HE'D BEEN NOMINATED FOR ACADEMY AWARDS AND HE'S WRITTEN ALL THESE AMAZING MOVIES, BUT THERE WAS THIS ELEMENT OF HIM SAYING, "I DON'T WANT TO FORGET THE KID THAT I WAS."

AND WE SAT IN THIS TINY LITTLE CAFE IN NEW YORK AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE DEFINITIVE MOMENTS IN FILM THAT CHANGED US.

AND I SAID, FOR ME AND MY STUDENTS, IT WAS THAT MOMENT IN "SCHINDLER'S LIST" WITH THE LITTLE GIRL IN THE RED COAT.

AND WHEN I HAD TAKEN MY KIDS TO AUSCHWITZ, THERE WAS THIS MOMENT WHERE HENRY CAME UP TO ME.

HE HAD THIS PERFECT RED GERBER DAISY AND HE WANTED TO TAKE IT TO THE CREMATORIUM, AND IT WAS RED BECAUSE OF THE SYMBOL OF THAT LITTLE GIRL WITH THE RED COAT, BUT IT WAS ALSO THIS SYMBOL OF ALL OF THOSE KIDS, ALL OF THOSE KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE A SECOND CHANCE.

AND SO I'M TELLING RICHARD THE WRITER THE STORY, AND I'M CRYING AND HE'S CRYING AND HE SAYS, "I GET IT."

AND SO I BEGGED HIM.

I SAID, I'LL LET YOU DO THIS.

IT'S LIKE GIVING BIRTH, BUT YOU HAVE TO TREAT US AS PARTNERS AND YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH MY STOONSS AND YOU HAVE TO LET THEM OBJECT THE SET AND WE HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE CASTING.

AND YOU CAN'T HIRE, YOU KNOW, 40-YEAR-OLDS PRETENDING THEY'RE 17 AND THIS IS NOT HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AND KIDS DOONT DO PIROUETTES IN THE GYMNASIUM.

AND SO THEY CAN'T BE SEXY, PRETTY KIDS.

HIRE KIDS WHO HAVE ACNE AND BODY ISSUES.

AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ASKED OF THEM, THEY AGREED TO.

AND SO THE KIDS ARE REAL KIDS.

THEY WERE TEENAGERS WHO WERE IN GANGS OR HOMELESS THAT WE HIRED WHO WEREN'T ACTORS.

AND HILLARY SWANK WAS MY FIRST CHOICE.

>> HOW ACCURATE IS IT?

>> I THINK ABOUT 98%.

>> THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

>> AND, AND IT'S BECAUSE I, I HAVE KIDS THAT ARE SO OUTSPOKEN AND SO DEMONSTRATIVE, AND THEY, THEY LOOKED AT EVERY SCREENPLAY.

THERE WAS 26 DRAFTS OF THE SCREENPLAY, LET ME JUST TELL YOU, AND MY KIDS WOULD JUST PICK IT APART AND THEY WOULD MAKE COMMENTS.

AND THEY RESPECTED THAT, AND SO THE GENTLEMAN WHO WROTE THE SCREENPLAY ALSO DIRECTED IT AND HAD A PART IN THE EDITING AS WELL.

AND SO IT WAS, IT WAS HIS BABY THROUGHOUT, AND I THINK BECAUSE FROM DAY ONE, HE GOT IT AND SAID, "I WANT TO HONOR THESE KIDS."

>> THE MOVIE DEPICTS A FORCED INTEGRATED SCHOOL WHERE ERIN'S CURRICULUM FOCUSED ON TOLERANCE AND EMPOWERMENT, AT A SCHOOL WHERE OTHER EDUCATORS HAD GIVEN UP.

SHE SUPPLIED HER STUDENTS WITH A POWERFUL WEAPON THAT WOULD SERVE THEM FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

A VOICE AND THE FAITH THAT THEIR VOICES MATTERED.

>> EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN STORY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WRITE THIS THESE JOURNALS.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE THIS OUT THERE FOR US.

>> AND NOW YOU CALL THEM YOUR KIDS.

>> I DO.

>> WHICH I UNDERSTAND, BUT TO BE HONEST, SOME OF THEM 30R RIGHT NOW.

>> YES, AND IT'S MAKING ME FEEL VERY OLD.

>> HOW ARE THEY RIGHT NOW?

WITH THE FREEDOM WRITERS FOUNDATION, WITH THE WORK YOU ARE DOING TO HELP PERPETUATE WHAT THEY DID IN THAT CLASSROOM?

>> THIS IS THEIR CAUSE.

THEY WORK FOR THE FOUNDATION.

THEY TRAVEL ACROSS THE GLOBE TO TELL THEIR STORY.

I BROUGHT A FREEDOM WRITER WITH ME TO TENNESSEE WHO'S GOING TO HELP TALK ABOUT HER BOOK AND SELL COPIES FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PICK UP THE BOOK AND TAKE IT HOME.

WE TRAIN TEACHERS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH WHO ARE COMING TONIGHT TO THE PROGRAM, SO THE FREEDOM -- THIS IS, THIS IS THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES, AND THE AMAZING THING IS WE ARE SO CONNECTED BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT THE STORY IS NOT DONE AND WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS JUST PART OF THE JOURNEY.

>> IT'S OBVIOUS HOW MANY LIVES YOU HAVE CHANGED WITH YOUR TEACHING, WITH THE BOOK, WITH THE TRAINING.

DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THE WAY YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED?

>> YOU KNOW, I DO.

I'M SO -- I'M SO HUMBLED.

I WAS SO BLESSED TO TALK TO A CLASS HERE AT RESTART AND I CHOSE TWO VERY PROVOCATIVE STORIES TO READ DELIBERATELY BECAUSE I REALIZE IN THAT ROOM, THOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW THEIR STORY, I KNEW THEIR STORY.

AND I GOT REALLY EMOTIONAL BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT WHEN I LEAVE HERE, I WANT THE STORY TO CONTINUE AND IT'S NOT MY STORY, IT'S NOT THE FREEDOM WRITERS' STORY, IT'S THEIR STORY.

AND SO I AM CONSTANTLY HUMBLED BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT EVERY TIME A LIGHT BULB GOES OFF FOR SOMEBODY AND EVERY TIME SOMEBODY HAS AN "A-HA" MOMENT, EVERY TIME SOMEBODY RAISES A GLASS AND TOASTS A CHANGE, THAT THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT.

AND SO THAT'S JUST WHY I'M REALLY HOPEFUL.

I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW BIG THIS IS GOING TO GET, BUT I JUST REALIZE THAT IT IS BIGGER THAN MYSELF.

AND I LEARNED THAT HUMBLY FROM THE HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR RENEE FIRESTONE, WHO EVERY SINGLE DAY TELLS HER STORY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL HER DYING DAY BECAUSE SHE FEELS LIKE SHE HAS TO.

AND SHE PASSED THE BATON TO ME AND MY STUDENTS, AND SO WE JUST WANT TO KEEP PASSING THE BATON IN THE FORM OF A PEN.

AND SO AS LONG AS PEOPLE WILL HAVE US, AS LONG AS PEOPLE WILL PICK UP THE BOOK, WE'LL KEEP PROMOTING THE POWER OF STORY TELLING.

>> ARE YOU CONTINUING TO JOURNAL AND TO WRITE?

>> I AM.

AND IT'S HARD.

I LOST MY FATHER, AND SO WRITING IN MY JOURNAL HAS BEEN LETTERS NOW.

I WRITE LETTERS TO MY DAD NOW BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A PART OF OUR STORY AND I JUST MISS HIM SO MUCH.

I FEEL LIKE IF I WRITE TO HIM, THEN HE, HE IS STILL PART OF THE STORY.

AND SO SOMEDAY I THINK I WANT TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE LETTERS AND MAYBE PUT THEM INTO A BOOK, BUT FOR ME IT'S PART OF THE HEALING.

PART OF THE GRIEVING IS KEEPING HIM STILL WITH ME.

AND SO I KEEP A JOURNAL WITH ME, I CARRY IT WHEREVER I GO.

IT'S ALWAYS IN MY BAG.

I ALWAYS REACH FOR IT IN THOSE MOMENTS WHEN I FEEL SCARED OR INSECURE OR OVERWHELMED, AND SO IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING I CONTINUALLY RELY ON.

>> WELL, I KNOW YOUR FATHER HAD HIS QUOTE AND IT'S IN YOUR BOOK AND HE SAID, “WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BE A NORMAL TEACHER?

” >> YES.

>> AND I KNOW, I'M SURE, HE KNEW THAT YOU WERE NOT A NORMAL TEACHER.

YOU WERE AN EXTRAORDINARY TEACHER AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF THE WORK YOU DO AND CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP IT UP.

>> THANK YOU.

AND I JUST HOPE THE PEOPLE TONIGHT OF CHATTANOOGA CAN COME TOGETHER TONIGHT AND LEAVE HERE FEELING INSPIRED AND REALIZE THAT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE AND THAT CHANGE STARTS FROM WITHIN.

AND SO I HOPE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF "A-HA" MOMENTS THAT HAPPEN RIGHT HERE IN CHATTANOOGA.

>> WELL, YOU'VE BEEN OUR “A-HA ” MOMENT.

>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, ERIN.

>> THE POWER OF TORL RAN, THE RECLAMATION OF LIFE AND HOPE, THE WILL TO MOVE FORWARD AND TAKE ON ALL OBSTACLES THEY FACE IN THE WORLD.

THESE ARE THE LESSONS LEARNED AND THE MEASURE OF A TRULY SPECIAL TEACHER.

ERIN SAYS THE FREEDOM WRITERS ARE STILL ACTIVE THROUGH THE FREEDOM WRITERS FOUNDATION.

SPEAKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SHARING THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVES OF CHANGE, AND BY DOING SO, EMPOWERING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.

BE SURE TO JOIN ME NEXT WEEK AS I SIT DOWN WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG MAN FROM DALTON, GEORGIA.

>>> WHAT I FACED WITH MY BRAIN INJURY WAS UNIMAGINABLE, THE THINGS MYSELF AND MY FAMILY FACED.

>> IT'S AN ALL-NEW A LIST YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS.

THAT'S NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT AT 8:30.

I'M ALLISON LEBOVITZ, SEE YOU THEN.

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