An original Freedom Writer whose story is told in part in the 2007 hit movie, Freedom Writers, Dr. Manny Scott has energized almost two million leaders, educators, volunteers, and students worldwide with his authentic, inspiring messages of hope. On the road up to 300 days per year for over two decades, Dr. Scott is on a mission.

By age 16, Dr. Scott’s story was almost over: His father was incarcerated, he missed 60-90 days of school annually from 4th to 9th grade, he dropped out of school at age 14, he lived in 26 places by age 16, and his best friend was brutally murdered. Sensing that the end of his life was near, he sat down on a park bench, and considered how he would make others feel the depth of despair and anger roiling in his soul. He says, “When I look back, I now see that I was heading down a path that would have destroyed me.”

Then, several individuals entered his life and helped him turn the page. He returned to school and ended up in the back of Erin Gruwell’s English class—a group now known worldwide as the Freedom Writers, portrayed in the 2007 hit MTV movie. She and several others helped Dr. Scott go from Fs and Ds to As and Bs. They helped him become the first person in his family to graduate from high school, earn a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, and, most recently, a Ph.D. Through very hard work, perseverance, and the help of others, he and several of his “Freedom Writer” classmates are now living the lives of their dreams.

Dr. Scott is now happily married, a proud father of three children, an author, pilot, digital marketer, real estate investor, and one of the nation’s most prominent, sought-after education speakers.

In 2007, he founded Ink International, Inc., an education consulting firm. He and his team have helped nearly one thousand schools and organizations raise student achievement, teacher efficacy, and intercultural competence in 49 states and six continents; and, together, they have helped prevent thousands of dropouts and suicides.