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The movie "Freedom Riders" tells the story of an inspiring teacher, Erin Grewal, who transforms the lives of underprivileged students through literature. It emphasizes the power of education, empathy, and the belief that everyone can overcome adversity. However, the film also falls into the trope of white saviorism, where a white character is portrayed as the sole reason for the students' success. This perpetuates a problematic power dynamic and diminishes the students' agency and contributions. Alright, let's kick things off by examining the movie Freedom Riders, an actual story-based film that follows an inspiring teacher who transforms the lives of underprivileged students through the power of literature. Hilary Swank portrays Erin Grewal as a high school teacher who takes on the challenge of educating at-risk students who are labeled as unteachable. These students, who are primarily people of color with gang affiliations and racial tension, find solace and growth through Erin's teaching methods. Freedom Riders highlights the transformative power of education, emphasizing the impact of empathy, tolerance, and the belief that every individual has the potential to overcome adversity and succeed. Although Freedom Riders is seen as an empowering movie, it also plays into the white saviorism. In Freedom Riders, the concept of white saviors is evident. The narrative revolves around Erin Grewal, a white teacher who takes on the daunting task of educating a racially diverse group of high school students. The film portrays Grewal as a transformative force and credits her as the sole reason these students can be educated. While the intention is to highlight the importance of education, empathy, and understanding, the narrative structure aligns with the harmful stereotype of the white savior. The white teacher enters a troubled school, breaking enlightenment and change to a seemingly hopeless situation. And you see, the underlying danger here is that it perpetuates the notion that marginalized individuals require a white figure to rescue them, reinforcing a problematic power dynamic. By positioning the white character as the sole agent of change, the film overlooks the student's resilience, strength, and inherent potential. The film's narrative choices inadvertently diminish the student's agency and overshadow their contributions to their personal growth and academic achievements. Precisely.
