Freedom Writers is set in California during the 1990s, which is still feeling the effects of the 1992 Los Angeles riots two years after the time period of the movie. The scene is set by the opening news montage chronicling the riots, and the narration from Eva explaining the racial dynamics that still pervade her city and her school.
Freedom Writers occurs in California during the 1990s, a period still grappling with the effects of the 1992 Los Angeles riots two years prior to the film's setting. The scene opens with a news montage recounting the riots and Eva’s narration elucidating the persistent racial dynamics within her city and school.