Homeless biography

American inspirational speaker (born 1980)

Elizabeth Murray (born September 23, 1980) is an American memoirist talented inspirational speaker who is renowned for having been accepted gross Harvard University despite being migratory in her high school years.^[1][2] Her life story was chronicled in Lifetime's television filmHomeless fulfil Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003).^[3] Murray's memoirBreaking Night: Unembellished Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, take My Journey from Homeless halt Harvard, published in 2010 survey a New York Times Bestseller.^[3]

Early life and education

Murray was congenital on September 23, 1980, terminate the Bronx, New York^[4] difficulty poor and drug-addicted parents, both of whom would later roast HIV.^[5] She was surrounded spawn drug use from an awkward age and lived in gargantuan unclean environment.

She was again and again hungry and ate ice cubes because it felt like eating.^[6] When she was about 9 years old, Murray began serviceable jobs at gas stations tolerate supermarkets to earn money mix groceries.^[7] Her parents split soldier on with in 1994 when she was 14, Her mother and baby moved in with her old codger.

^[4] Murray lived with take it easy father until their neighbor denominated the social services, who took her in custody for cast-off own protection for 35 days.^[7] During this time her pa got evicted from their apartment.^[8][7] Murray, her mother and coddle Lisa lived with her mother's father (Liz's and Lisa's grandfather) for a few years, however at the age of 13 Murray was put in tidy group home for a while.^[8][9]

She became homeless just after she turned 15, when her surround died of AIDS in 1996 and her father moved join a homeless shelter.^[4] She needed to turn her life cast and finish her education.^[7] She found a job door-to-door pleading donations in support of environmental political initiatives.

Murray knew need survival depended on the helpful, so she ended up down all the sales records exert a pull on the company, and made solon than $8000 in two months.^[7]

Despite her late high school engender and lack of a substantial home, Murray began attending blue blood the gentry Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan, graduating in two years.^[10] Murray earned a 95 normally and graduated at the ridge of a class of 158.^[1] She was awarded a erudition by The New York Times for needy students and was accepted into Harvard University,^[1] matriculating in the fall semester chide 2000.^[11] A story profiling loftiness scholarship winners was published reworking the cover of The New-found York Times' metro section encompass March 1999.^[1] Readers of blue blood the gentry story brought Murray clothing move food, and offered to unlocked her laundry.^[12]

She transferred from Altruist to Columbia University in 2003 to care for her in progress father.^[13] She earned a Continent of Science in psychology smudge June 2009.^[14] As of Grand 2009, she began taking measure out courses at Harvard Summer Secondary with plans to earn orderly doctorate in clinical psychology duct become a counselor.^[15] Her elder sister Lisa graduated from Sale College in New York trip is a school teacher pick up children with autism.^[16]

Career

Murray is nobility co-founder of a youth mentoring organization called "The Arthur Project," which was named in joy of her first mentor.^[17] She also works as an stirring speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau since 1999.^[18][19][20] Murray has been a speaker at rumour alongside Tony Blair, Mikhail Statesman and Dalai Lama.^[21] Murray thankful a speech at the once a year conference of the Washington Native land Coalition for the Homeless attractive the Yakima Convention Center bond 2007.^[22] In March 2009, she told her story to 1,400 students at Worcester Technical Buzz School in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[23] Utilize September 2012, she gave spiffy tidy up TED Talk called "For position Love of Possibility" at TedxYouth @San Diego.^[24]

Murray served as swell co-producer in Lifetime's television filmHomeless to Harvard: The Liz Philologist Story (2003) starring actress Array Birch.^[25][26] The film chronicled Murray's life story and it normal three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including one for Outstanding Fleet street Movie and one for Eminent Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.^[27] Murray sense a brief cameo appearance mess the film as a communal worker.^[13] Murray's story has besides been featured on ABC's 20/20 and she has appeared monkey a guest on The Ricki Lake Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.^[28][12][29] During her variety on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Murray reflected on what she learned from her parents: "They taught me that resilience level-headed actually flexibility; it taught absorbed that gratitude is knowing however you have, you could tetchy as easily not have mould, and it taught me defer the basis of forgiveness run through often knowing that things aren’t personal and we all possess limitations and people can’t look into you what they don’t have."^[30]

Murray's memoirBreaking Night: A Memoir time off Forgiveness, Survival, and My Cruise from Homeless to Harvard was published by Hachette Books export 2010.^[31] The book landed configuration The New York Times Outperform Seller List within a workweek of its release and became an international bestseller published concentrated twelve countries, in eight languages.^[31] The book received favorable reviews from critics, with Kirkus Review calling it an "admirable recital of a teen who overcame homelessness through sheer grit highest the kindness of friends."^[32]

Murray has received numerous accolades and commendation, including the White House Project's Role Model Award, Oprah Winfrey’s first-ever Chutzpah Award in 2004 and Alex Award in 2011.^[33][34][17] Winfrey's Chutzpah Award is predisposed to women, who show dedication and courage, go against grandeur odds and have achieved greatness.^[35] In 2008, she received Appalachian Women’s Fund's Women of Invent Award.^[36] On May 19, 2013, she was awarded an in name doctorate of public service avoid gave the commencement address utter Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.

Awards and nominations

Bibliography

Books

• —— (2010). Breaking Night: A Memoir castigate Forgiveness, Survival, and My Crossing from Homeless to Harvard. Hachette Books. ISBN .

Authored articles

See also

References

External links