{"id":3961,"date":"2013-04-12T19:11:10","date_gmt":"2013-04-12T19:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/freedom-writers-documentary-to-hold-public-screening-at-aquarium-2\/"},"modified":"2013-04-12T19:11:10","modified_gmt":"2013-04-12T19:11:10","slug":"freedom-writers-documentary-to-hold-public-screening-at-aquarium-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/freedom-writers-documentary-to-hold-public-screening-at-aquarium-2","title":{"rendered":"Freedom Writers Documentary to Hold Public Screening at Aquarium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"UndeclaredWar\"In a free event that will also act as a benefit for graduating Woodrow seniors, Erin Gruwell will screen her Stories from an Undeclared War<\/em> documentary at the Aquarium of the Pacific.<\/p>\n

The film, reviewed by the Post<\/em> last year<\/a> when it soft-premiered at the Carpenter Center before moving onto the film festival circuit, documents Gruwell’s life as a Woodrow Wilson High English teacher and the deep way she affected her marginalized students. Those students went onto to call themselves the Freedom Writers, of which a popular film of the same name was created starring Hilary Swank as Gruwell.<\/p>\n

It is refreshing to see the film come back to Long Beach, especially for Gruwell.<\/p>\n

“The Freedom Writers,” she once told the Post<\/em>, “we travel all over the world and whenever we come back, it’s home–in all senses of the term. Everywhere else, outside of New York City, is divisive. There’s this side of the tracks and that side of the tracks. Long Beach is this microcosm of all races and ethnicities and identities. I love Long Beach.”<\/p>\n

Continuing her efforts to bring her success and stories back to their origin, the public is invited to attend the screening for free along with a Q&A with Gruwell and her fellow Freedom Writers. Raffle tickets sold will benefit scholarships for graduating Wilson seniors; prizes will be given for select raffle tickets.<\/p>\n

Stories from an Undeclared War will screen at the Aquarium of the Pacific on Monday, April 15, at 6:30PM. The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way. For reservations, please send an email to rsvp@freedomwritersfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n