A Biography of Lesra

Lesra Martin earned his law degree from Dalhousie Law School. He is currently the Vice President of TouchPoll Canada, a National Computer Software and Technology Company. Lesra is also a lawyer and an inspirational speaker. His life has been chronicled in a best selling book, Lazarus and the Hurricane. He is also one of the subjects in a major Hollywood motion picture, "The Hurricane", starring Denzel Washington and directed by Norman Jewison. Also, he has made a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, appeared on Larry King Live, and spoke before the United Nations. Most recently, he is the subject of a National Film Board of Canada documentary, "The Journey of Lesra Martin".

It is hard to imagine that Lesra grew up in Bedford Stuyvesant - a ghetto community in New York City. It is hard to imagine that he was functionally illiterate, unable to read or write at the age of 15. As fate would have it, at 15 years old Lesra left his home in New York to live with a family in Toronto, Canada. While there, he was given access to a proper education. He took full advantage of the opportunity.

Hardest of all to imagine: the first book Lesra purchased and read on his own was the autobiography of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, The Sixteenth Round. Moved by the triple murder conviction of Rubin Carter and convinced of Carter's innocence, a friendship fostered between Lesra and Rubin. Lesra pledged to do everything in his power to prove Rubin's innocence. After enlisting the help of his Canadian family and uniting with attorneys, Rubin Carter was exonerated. Because of Lesra Martin, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter is a free man.

Lesra Martin is an example of dogged determination. Anyone who says that impossible dreams can never materialize has yet to meet this "kid" from New York City. Humble and passionate, he tells audiences everywhere that "limits" exists only in the mind. Through his inspiring presentations, Lesra shows audiences that the power to make a difference exists in each of us.

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