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 Liz Murray, featured in the Lifetime movie "Homeless to Harvard," will be the guest speaker for the Women Helping Women Fund's annual luncheon, May 10, 2010, at the Spokane Convention Center.
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."
Meet Liz, see a clip of her speech at DePauw University's Ubben Lecture Series, and view an excerpt of the Lifetime movie based on her life.
Determined to take charge of her life, Murray finished high school in just two years while camping out in New York City parks and subway stations. After attending Columbia University for a short period to be closer to her ill father, Murray returned to Harvard where she completed her degree.
Murray's story is exhilarating and her delivery 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 From Homeless to Harvard, which premiered in April 2003. Murray is also the recipient of Oprah Winfrey's first ever Chutzpah Award, and is currently writing her memoirs for Hyperion. Murray received her BS in psychology from Harvard University in June 2009.
Women Helping Women Fund serves Spokane women and children who face similar obstacles in life. It was founded in 1992 by six local women dedicated to making a difference for underserved populations in Spokane.
Since 1992, thanks to gifts from thousands of individual and corporate donors, more than 305 local agency programs have received grants from Women Helping Women totaling more than $3.8 million.
Luncheon guests are asked to make a minimum donation of $125. The money raised at the luncheon is donated directly to programs managed by Spokane County non-profit agencies. They are selected during a grant application process. WHWF screens the applications and targets well-run programs designed to meet the most urgent needs of women and children in Spokane.
Click for more information on the luncheon or call (509) 328-8285. |
