Liz Murray

Liz Murray

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.Murray was born in the Bronx, New York, to poor, drug-addicted, HIV-infected parents. She became homeless at age 15, when her mother died, and her father moved to a homeless shelter.

Murray's life turned around when she began attending the Humanities Preparatory School in Greenwich Village. 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.

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 now works as an inspirational speaker, represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau.