Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Schmoozing and Dignity Grows Packing Party: 6:30 pm | Program: 7:00 pm
Westwood Hills Nature Center
8300 W Franklin Ave, St Louis Park, MN 55426
The Pearl Society’s Women of Intention awards honor six women in our community each year: Trailblazer, World-Saver, Flame-Keeper, Woman of Promise, Voice of Inspiration, and Community Champion. These are women in our Jewish community who respond to injustice with intention—who apply their personal grit and gifts to some of the most difficult issues facing our community and the world—who are indeed Women of Intention. We honor these women at our annual The Pearl Society’s Women of Intention event.
Join us on Tuesday, October 29th to honor our 2024 Women of Intention.
Tickets for Women of Intention are $36.
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Featuring Erin Gruwell, our 2024 Woman of Intention
Erin Gruwell is an acclaimed teacher, author, and activist dedicated to championing equity and social justice. She first captured national attention through an ABC PrimeTime Live special with Connie Chung, where she and her 150 students, known as the Freedom Writers, shared their powerful stories. These students, hailing from backgrounds filled with poverty, gang influence, and violence, faced significant risks of dropping out due to the school-to-prison pipeline. However, under Erin’s inspirational guidance, all 150 Freedom Writers graduated from high school and pursued higher education. Their journey was chronicled in the 1999 book, The Freedom Writers Diary, which became a #1 New York Times bestseller and highlighted their transformation from adversity to triumph.
As the Freedom Writers celebrate their 30th anniversary, Erin’s story remains as impactful as ever. The book’s success led to its adaptation into the major motion picture Freedom Writers, which amplified Erin’s impact, and she has since leveraged her platform to further advocate for equity and inclusion through her non-profit organization, the Freedom Writers Foundation.
Erin’s transformative work has earned her numerous humanitarian accolades, including the prestigious Spirit of Anne Frank Award.