Helen Prejean is an American Catholic nun, author, and leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. She is best known for her 1993 book, Dead Man Walking, which was later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film. Prejean has dedicated her life to social justice and has been a vocal opponent of the death penalty since the 1980s. She has traveled extensively to speak out against capital punishment, and has been a spiritual advisor to numerous death row inmates. Prejean has also written several books, including The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions, and River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey. She is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, a religious order of women in the Catholic Church. Prejean has received numerous awards for her work, including the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame, the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize.