Ebony Harper
Ebony Ava Harper is a first-generation American born to her Jamaican family. Having come out as a Black trans woman at an early age, Ebony began working as an activist in the trans community, emphasizing the importance of the intersectionality between her racial and transgender identity. Over the years, she has transitioned from a trans activist to a human rights activist, making a difference for locally and nationally marginalized communities.
Experience working at Project Angel Food and the Los Angeles Youth Network propelled Harper into a staff position at Children of the Night in Van Nuys, California. It was at this nonprofit, focused on rescuing children from the devastation and trauma of human trafficking and prostitution, where Harper learned community-based outreach and how to apply her lived experience as a Peer Counselor. Harper dedicated her time to helping homeless youth experiencing many of the same disadvantages and tribulations she navigated during her childhood.
Continuing her advocacy work, Harper made her way to Sacramento, where she began working at the Gender Health Center as the PrEP Coordinator. Driven by her passion for dismantling systems of oppression and improving the quality of life for all living beings, Harper has continued her activism working at the local and national levels, addressing gender justice, climate justice, disability justice, and race equity.
In 2019, Harper left the California Endowment to step into her current role as the Founder and Executive Director of California TRANScends. This statewide initiative works to promote the health and wellness of transgender people throughout the state of California. She’s one of the recipients of the 2019 Stonewall Four Freedoms Award, the first-ever trans person to host the 2019 State Capitol Tree Lighting ceremony with Governor Gavin Newsom, and served as the 2019 Grand Marshal of Sacramento’s Pride Parade, and recognized by the California legislature, District 7, 2021’s Woman of The Year.
Harper has been a speaker and facilitator at the Global Alliance for Banking on Values Summit in Vancouver, written articles for Forbes and other news sources, been highlighted on NBC and other media outlets, and serves as Co-Chair to The California Transgender Advisory Council, Board member for the Transgender Law Center, Borealis, and Mirror Memoirs.