Liz Murray transformed her life of despair into an inspiring journey of determination, hope and hard-won success. The child of drug-addicted parents who routinely ate from dumpsters and sought refuge at all-night subway stations to survive, Liz was homeless at age 15 and fending for herself. Determined not to be defined by her circumstances, she recognized education as the key to a fresh beginning and a whole new way of living. Tune in for a discussion with Liz Murray and hear about her journey from mere survival to success, and the powerful message she shares to inspire hope and triumph in the face adversity.
Phoenix, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/31/2016 -- From homeless to Harvard...it is an unlikely turn of events. Liz Murray's life is a triumph over adversity and a stunning example of the importance of dreaming big. Murray's life as the child of cocaine-addicted parents in the Bronx was bitterly grim. There was never food in the house, everything was filthy, drugs were everywhere, and the welfare checks were spent before they arrived.
By age 15, Murray's mom had died and she was homeless—living on the streets, riding the subway all night, and eating from dumpsters. Amidst this pain, Murray always imagined her life could be much better than it was. "I started to grasp the value of the lessons learned while living on the streets. I knew after overcoming those daily obstacles that next to nothing could hold me down." Determined to take charge of her life, Murray finished high school in just two years and was awarded a full scholarship to Harvard University, all while camping out in New York City parks and subway stations.
Murray's story is exhilarating and inspirational. Her delivery is innocently honest, as she takes audiences on a very personal journey where she achieves the improbable.
Her story sounds like a Hollywood movie—and it practically is. Lifetime Television produced a movie about Murray's life story entitled Homeless to Harvard, which was nominated for three "Emmy Awards". Murray is the recipient of the White House "Project's Role Model Award" and Oprah Winfrey's first-ever "Chutzpah Award". Her memoir, Breaking Night, landed on the New York Times best seller list within a week of its release and quickly became an international bestseller published in twelve countries, in eight languages.
About Liz Murray
Murray received her Bachelor of Science degree from Harvard University. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in Psychology at Columbia University. As an inspirational speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau, Murray frequently presents dynamic talks to audiences ranging from several hundred to several thousand. Some of her clients include Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, United Way, BlackRock and numerous colleges and universities across the United States.