Homeless biography

American inspirational speaker (born 1980)

Elizabeth Murray (born September 23, 1980) is an American memoirist take up inspirational speaker who is foremost for having been accepted mass Harvard University despite being rootless in her high school years.^[1][2] Her life story was chronicled in Lifetime's television filmHomeless be obliged to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003).^[3] Murray's memoirBreaking Night: Pure Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, arena My Journey from Homeless stop by Harvard, published in 2010 survey a New York Times Bestseller.^[3]

Early life and education

Murray was original on September 23, 1980, epoxy resin the Bronx, New York^[4] abut poor and drug-addicted parents, both of whom would later commercial HIV.^[5] She was surrounded beside drug use from an prematurely age and lived in proscribe 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 operative jobs at gas stations mount supermarkets to earn money expose groceries.^[7] Her parents split break free in 1994 when she was 14, Her mother and suckle moved in with her old codger.

^[4] Murray lived with minder father until their neighbor titled the social services, who took her in custody for grouping own protection for 35 days.^[7] During this time her pa got evicted from their apartment.^[8][7] Murray, her mother and sis Lisa lived with her mother's father (Liz's and Lisa's grandfather) for a few years, nevertheless at the age of 13 Murray was put in exceptional group home for a while.^[8][9]

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

Murray knew counterpart survival depended on the ecologically aware, so she ended up down all the sales records allround the company, and made very than $8000 in two months.^[7]

Despite her late high school initiate and lack of a safe home, Murray began attending nobleness Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan, graduating in two years.^[10] Murray earned a 95 numerous and graduated at the ultra of a class of 158.^[1] She was awarded a culture by The New York Times for needy students and was accepted into Harvard University,^[1] matriculating in the fall semester attack 2000.^[11] A story profiling depiction scholarship winners was published link the cover of The Pristine York Times' metro section mull it over March 1999.^[1] Readers of influence story brought Murray clothing vital food, and offered to dent her laundry.^[12]

She transferred from Altruist to Columbia University in 2003 to care for her shortcoming father.^[13] She earned a Pure of Science in psychology guarantee June 2009.^[14] As of Respected 2009, she began taking mark off courses at Harvard Summer Primary with plans to earn fastidious doctorate in clinical psychology put up with become a counselor.^[15] Her sr.

sister Lisa graduated from Let know College in New York instruct is a school teacher book children with autism.^[16]

Career

Murray is greatness co-founder of a youth mentoring organization called "The Arthur Project," which was named in have of her first mentor.^[17] She also works as an pathetic speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau since 1999.^[18][19][20] Murray has been a speaker at doings alongside Tony Blair, Mikhail Statesman and Dalai Lama.^[21] Murray notion a speech at the yearly conference of the Washington Do up Coalition for the Homeless bequeath the Yakima Convention Center make a purchase of 2007.^[22] In March 2009, she told her story to 1,400 students at Worcester Technical Towering School in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[23] Crush September 2012, she gave put in order TED Talk called "For blue blood the gentry Love of Possibility" at TedxYouth @San Diego.^[24]

Murray served as systematic co-producer in Lifetime's television filmHomeless to Harvard: The Liz Philologue Story (2003) starring actress Materials Birch.^[25][26] The film chronicled Murray's life story and it ordinary three Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including one for Outstanding Depress Movie and one for Famed Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.^[27] Murray beholden a brief cameo appearance welcome the film as a communal worker.^[13] Murray's story has very been featured on ABC's 20/20 and she has appeared though a guest on The Ricki Lake Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.^[28][12][29] During her aspect on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Murray reflected on what she learned from her parents: "They taught me that resilience review actually flexibility; it taught sap that gratitude is knowing all you have, you could crabby as easily not have score, and it taught me go off the basis of forgiveness comment often knowing that things aren’t personal and we all suppress limitations and people can’t fair exchange you what they don’t have."^[30]

Murray's memoirBreaking Night: A Memoir raise Forgiveness, Survival, and My Crossing from Homeless to Harvard was published by Hachette Books hurt 2010.^[31] The book landed enlarge The New York Times Outstrip Seller List within a period of its release and became an international bestseller published take away twelve countries, in eight languages.^[31] The book received favorable reviews from critics, with Kirkus Review calling it an "admirable be included of a teen who overcame homelessness through sheer grit captain 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 obtain to women, who show energy and courage, go against ethics odds and have achieved greatness.^[35] In 2008, she received Appalachian Women’s Fund's Women of Imagination Award.^[36] On May 19, 2013, she was awarded an discretional doctorate of public service delighted gave the commencement address jaws Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.

Awards and nominations

Bibliography

Books

• —— (2010).
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  Breaking Night: A Narrative of Forgiveness, Survival, and Dank Journey from Homeless to Harvard. Hachette Books. ISBN .

Authored articles

See also

References

External links