Liz Murray

Elizabeth "Liz" Murray, born birth date and age|1980|9|23, 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.

Biography

Murray was born in the Bronx, New York, to poor, drug-addicted, HIV-infected parents. She became homeless just after she turned 16, when her mother died of AIDS, and her father moved to a homeless shelter. Murray's life turned around when she began attending the Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan. Though she started high school later than most students, and remained without a stable home while supporting herself and her sister, Murray graduated in only two years. She was awarded a "New York Times" scholarship for needy students and accepted into Harvard, matriculating in the fall semester 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. In 2006 her father died of AIDS [L. B. Ward, 2008.] . As of May 2008, she is back at Harvard working towards her degree [L. B. Ward, 2008.] and plans to graduate in December 2008 [K. McFadden, 2008.] .

Murray's life was the subject of the 2003 Emmy-nominated Lifetime TV movie "Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story". 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 works as an inspirational speaker, represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau. She has been featured in billboard advertisements [ [http://www.forbetterlife.org/billboards/ambition Ambition Advertisement] current as of September 2008] by The Foundation for a Better Life.

Sources

* Kathleen McFadden, [http://www.highcountrypress.com/weekly/2008/06-12-08/liz_murray.htm Liz Murray Encourages High Country Women To Pay It Forward] , "High Country Press (Boone, NC)", June 12, 2008.
* Leah Beth Ward, [http://www.yakimaheraldrepublic.com/stories/3884 Advocates Hear Story of a Life Turned Around] , "Yakima Herald-Republic", May 8, 2008.
*Nancy Arcayna, [http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/03/28/features/story02.html Her story tells of triumph over greatest odds] , "Honolulu Star-Bulletin", March 28, 2006.
* [http://www.wnbc.com/news/2111228/detail.html Liz Murray On Movie About Her Life, Plans For Future] , interview with Gabe Pressman, WNBC, April 13, 2003.
* Emily Eakin, [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9801E2D91238F934A35757C0A9659C8B63 TELEVISION REVIEW; A Girl on the Street Finds a Path to the Ivy League] , "The New York Times", April 7, 2003.
* Al Siebert, [http://www.thrivenet.com/stories/stories00/stry0006.shtml From Homeless to Harvard - Liz Murray's Story] , "THRIVEnet" Story of the Month, June 2000.

Written works by Liz Murray

*"Breaking Night: A Memoir", Hyperion Books, 2005 (ISBN 0-7868-6891-0).
*"Liz's Story", "New York Times Upfront", Volume: 132 Issue: 11 Page: 12, January 31, 2000.

Films about Liz Murray

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338109/ Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story] , directed by Peter Levin, 2003.
* [http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Liz_Murray_FF_06 Perseverance] , a short film produced by Anson Schloat and John G. Young, 2006.

Notes