Harlan Pruden (born 1967)

Harlan Pruden, First Nations Cree scholar and activist, has dedicated his life to North American Indigenous communities. Hailing from Alberta, Pruden is recognized as a trailblazer in advocating for the rights of Two- Spirit people—Indigenous individuals who embody a gender identity beyond male or female and often serve as healers, visionaries, and ceremonial leaders for their tribes. Pruden co- founded the NorthEast Two- Spirit Society and the Two-Spirit Dry Lab, North America’s first research group focusing on the experiences of Two-spirit people. Before moving from New York to Vancouver, as a recovering alcoholic he led SpeakOUT: LGBT Voices for Recovery. He also served on several influential boards, including the NYC HIV Planning Group and the U.S. Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and played an active role in multiple political campaigns. Currently, Pruden is Lead Knowledge Translator, transforming research into actionable public health policies for the BC Centre for Disease Control in Vancouver, where he now resides.