Erin Gruwell

"Evil prevails when good people do nothing."

Erin Gruwell is a teacher, an author, and an activist who has been fighting for social justice for over two decades. She first gained national attention in 1998 when she and her 150 students appeared on an ABC special "Primetime Live" with Connie Chung.

Erin's students —affectionately called the Freedom Writers— came from backgrounds of poverty, gangs, and violence, and many were at-risk of dropping out of school due to the school-to-prison-pipeline. But, under Erin's guidance, all 150 Freedom Writers graduated from high school and pursued higher education.

In 1999, Erin and the Freedom Writers published their book, The Freedom Writers Diary, which detailed their unique journey. The book became a #1 New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a film, Freedom Writers, starring Hilary Swank as Erin.

Erin's work has been recognized with several humanitarian awards, including the prestigious Spirit of Anne Frank Award. Erin and the Freedom Writers have appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and "Good Morning America" to promote educational reform. In 2019, Erin and the Freedom Writers were the subjects of the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary Freedom Writers: Stories from the Heart.

Erin also hosts "The Freedom Writers Podcast" with guests who are authors, activists and civil rights icons. In 2022, Erin and the Freedom Writers Foundation released their latest book, Dear Freedom Writer, critically acclaimed work.