26 Jan HERStory: Tawanda Murray
Meet Tawanda Murray, CEO of ‘I Am Recovery’ out of the Greater Nashville area, who shares with us her impact and how she spreads positivity to the community through her work.
“I was inspired by my own life to create an educational foundation for others in recovery. When I came to recovery in 1997, I had to leave my city because there were no facilities to help me,” says Murray. “The resources, even in moving, were scattered. It was exhausting to maneuver, find, hunt, and pry doors to get everything to stay on the right path while remaining abstinent from addictive behavior.”
Her journey led her to become an advocate for others. One of her greatest accomplishments is her ongoing ability to help others. “I am positively impacted by my will to help others. I continued when the road seemed dark. I had nothing but my heart and had doors closed when I asked to help, but I pushed through,” says Murray.
She also describes an incredible experience, “To have been a panelist with Patrick Kennedy (the son of President Kennedy at the Mayor’s Opioid Summit), to go into the same prison I once slept in, to now doing meetings, having a relationship with our sheriff and mayors, to the ability to go to the State Capitol each year and advocate for my work has made the struggles all worthwhile. The highest honor is seeing the participants I work with lives change and form relationships with families and jails who believe in the work I do.”
Throughout her journey, Tawanda persevered, and her organization has reached as far as the White House. “As time has passed and the nation entered an epidemic state, I am grateful to have created ‘I Am Recovery’ and more grateful we have ranked as far as the White House who desires to help make addiction unstigmatized and funding available, which was not an area people wanted to acknowledge as they do today.”
An experience that positively impacted her was a golf tournament she organized last year. ” It was such a great experience having my ladies volunteer and my family attend. We had the TSU College Athletic Team, a News Channel 5 anchor, Police Chief and his team attend. This year we look to have professional football players and two golf professionals play. My children and grandchildren are proud to have me on this path.”
We love highlighting women like Tawanda who embody the power of positivity! Thank you for sharing your story with us! To learn more about I Am Recovery, visit: iamrecovery.org.
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