Liz Murray
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Liz Murray (born September 23, 1980) is an American inspirational speaker who is best known as having been homeless in her youth, and as having overcome her hardship to achieve success.
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[edit] Biography
Murray was born in the Bronx, New York, to poor, drug-addicted, AIDS-infected parents. She became homeless just after she turned 16, when her mother died, and her father moved to a homeless shelter. Murray's life turned around when she began attending the Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan, in New York City. Though she started high school later than most students, and remained without a stable home, Murray graduated in only two years. She was awarded a New York Times scholarship for needy students and accepted into Harvard for the fall of 2000. She left Harvard in 2003 to care for her sick father; she resumed her education at Columbia University to be closer to him.[1]
Murray's life was the subject of the 2003 Emmy-nominated Lifetime TV movie Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story, of which Murray was the co-executive producer. Actress Thora Birch played Murray, and Murray played a cameo role as a social worker. Murray's memoir, Breaking Night, was published by Hyperion Books in 2005 (ISBN 0-7868-6891-0). Murray also works as an inspirational speaker,. represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau.
[edit] References
- Advocates Hear Story of a Life Turned Around May 8, 2008
- New York Times television review; A Girl on the Street Finds a Path to the Ivy League
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Keynote Speakers - Liz Murray - for 2006?
- Interview: Liz Murray On Movie About Her Life, Plans For Future
- THRIVEnet Story - "From Homeless to Harvard - Liz Murray's Story"
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Lifetime: Homeless to Harvard (2003)
- Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story at the Internet Movie Database
- Washington Speakers Bureau, representing Murray
