PATIENCE MURRAY
Patience Murray is an accomplished young woman who wears many hats. Author, Activist, Entrepreneur, Inspirational Speaker, Singer/Songwriter, Poet, Podcaster, and Pulse Survivor to champion. She is also the Founder of Pages of Poetry, a self-publishing consultancy, and the Gun Violence Champion Awards, a financial assistance program for survivors of gun violence. Patience survived the Pulse Nightclub shooting massacre that took place on June 12th, 2016 in Orlando, FL, one of the deadliest acts of terror in U.S. History since 9/11.
Despite the horror she faced, Patience has since turned her pain into purpose. Being the champion for change that she is, Patience has met with a number of political leaders, like former President Barack Obama, and advocated for common sense gun reform and increased mental health awareness. She is also a gun reform activist who testified before congress and helped push forward the most significant gun reform bill in decades, which was signed by President Joe Biden.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, Patience was honored with the key to the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, along with a certificate of special recognition from the U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal for her extraordinary dedication and exemplary efforts to reduce violence. In addition, former US House of Representatives, Charles Rangel officially recognized July 31st as “Patience Carter Day,” in New York. Fox television network’s Annual Teen Choice Award presented Patience with the “Courage Award,” and most recently, Patience was bestowed with the prestigious “Resilience Award” from her alma mater, New York University, for completing her studies against all the odds. She is also a 49 Legacy scholar awarded by the ONEPulse Foundation to support her Music Production program at Full Sail University. And Patience continues to utilize her massive social media following to be an influencer for building resilience in others, inspiring them to overcome all adversity, while giving them the tools, the gems, to live life, and love, like a champion.