Ben Samuels
(Freedom Writers films) Long Beach, California, United States In the 90s, there is a strong presence of gangs, youth violence, racial and cultural divisions, all the rot in the world concentrated in the dirty neighborhoods of Long Beach, the kids here already stop hoping or dreaming at the age of 10. The story takes place at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School, a high school in Long Beach. The city is very multicultural: African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and whites. After the 1992 Los Angeles Riots (sparked by the Rodney King case), racial tensions escalated throughout the Los Angeles area, including Long Beach. In the 1990s, Long Beach was one of the centers of gang violence, especially the Crips (African Americans), the Sureños (Latinos) and Asian groups such as the Tiny Rascal Gang. The clashes were daily, with shootings, drug trafficking and murders. Many boys were drafted as teenagers and saw school as an enemy or a useless place.
About Ben Samuels
(Freedom Writers films) Long Beach, California, United States In the 90s, there is a strong presence of gangs, youth violence, racial and cultural divisions, all the rot in the world concentrated in the dirty neighborhoods of Long Beach, the kids here already stop hoping or dreaming at the age of 10. The story takes place at Woodrow Wilson Clas...Read more