Liz Murray
Eturuvie Erebor
L
iz Murray is an American inspirational
speaker who went from homeless to
Harvard University. She is the founder and
director of Manifest Living and one
of
the most highly sought after
motivational speakers in the
world. She is the author of
the International Bestseller
titled Breaking Night: My
Journey from Homeless
to Harvard, and a movie
has been made about her
life, titled, Homeless to
Harvard: The Liz Murray
Story. Liz was born and
raised in the Bronx. She had
loving parents, but they were
poor and addicted to drugs. This
meant that as Liz grew up she
would often go without food and
was regularly absent from school. As a
result she found it a challenge to connect
education to a future that was possible and
unlike her present and past. But a friend of the
family named Arthur would step into Liz’s life and
not only mentor her but change the course of her
life. As he was a neighbour he was always available
to help her with her school work. He began to take
her out on day trips and show her places and a life
that was different from what she had experienced
up to that point. He helped her to see that she
could be more and do more and that if she had dreams for a better life they were not out of her
reach. Her parents would eventually contract HIV/
AIDS leading to the demise of her mother when Liz
was only 15 years old. Following the death of her
mother, her father moved to a homeless shelter.
Arthur, who was her mentor and guide, died
suddenly from a heart condition, and Liz
was left all alone to face life and the
challenges it would throw at her. She
became homeless when she was
only 15 and in high school. She
would sleep in stairwells and
shoplift food to eat. But as
she navigated life’s problems
going forward, Arthur’s voice
remained in her head and
helped her make the right
choices. She would go on
to be accepted into Harvard
University after graduating
from Humanities Preparatory
Academy in Manhattan, and
she was awarded a New York
Times scholarship for needy students.
She took a break from Harvard to care for her
sick father but returned to complete her studies
graduating in 2009. In 2013, she was awarded
an honorary doctorate of public service and gave
the commencement speech at Merrimack College,
Massachusetts. Liz Murray is currently a passionate
advocate for underserved youth. She is married and
has two children.
1. Leaders are optimistic and able to see the good 2. Every leader begins their leadership journey
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE
LIFE OF LIZ MURRAY
in adverse situations. In the book, Hero, by
Rhonda Byrne, Liz Murray stated that when her
life changed very quickly at the age of 15, with
the deaths of her mother and Arthur, the loss of
their home and her father becoming estranged,
she felt that if life could change for the worse
possibly it could also change for the better.
Leaders are people with hope.
DOZ Magazine | November 2019
by being a good follower. We all need a guide,
someone who has been where we want to go
either physically or mentally. Liz needed Arthur
to guide her, to change the trajectory of her life,
to show her what was possible, and to challenge
her to seek things that were different from what
she was accustomed to.
3. Great leaders will step outside their comfort
8
DOZ Leadership Lessons