Homeless to Law School: Powering Through Obstacles

Photo: Patrick Armstrong at the 2015 SRA Annual Gala in San Francisco. Credit: screenshot of KPIX video

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As Patrick Armstrong delivered his message of hope and courage to an appreciative audience at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, he was 45 miles and a world away from the San Jose barbershop where he sometimes slept as a child. His mother worked at the barbershop and couldn’t always afford rent for her family.

Now a graduate of US Berkeley and NYU law school, Armstrong reached his soaring goals with the help of caring mentors along the way. His new goal—helping others achieve success in their lives.

He’s pursuing that in two ways—by working as a lawyer at the Justice Center in New York and by raising funds for Students Rising Above (SRA), a program that was instrumental in his own success.

“If there is anything that SRA has taught me it’s that we are not bound by our past. We can do more than our parents did. And we can accomplish more than we think, if we believe in ourselves,” KPIX quotes Armstrong as saying.

His speech at the Ritz-Carlton was part of SRA’s annual fundraising gala. Among those in the audience were current SRA students soaking up Armstrong’s wisdom. And the proceeds from that night will fund the educations of another 110 students.

Helping others achieve success in their lives—Armstrong is still reaching his goals.

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