Lenora Fulani

Lenora Fulani
Born
Lenora Branch

(1950-04-25) April 25, 1950 (age 74)
Alma materHofstra University
Occupation(s)Psychotherapist, psychologist, political activist
Political partyNew Alliance Party (1988–1992), Independence Party of New York

Lenora Branch Fulani (born April 25, 1950) is an American psychologist, psychotherapist, and political activist. She is best known for her presidential campaigns[1] and development of youth programs serving minority communities in the New York City area.[2] In the 1988 United States presidential election heading the New Alliance Party ticket, she became the first woman and the first African American to achieve ballot access in all fifty states.[3] Fulani's political concerns include racial equality, gay rights, and political reform, specifically to encourage third parties.

Fulani has worked closely since 1980 with Fred Newman, a New York–based psychotherapist and political activist who has often served as her campaign manager.[4] Newman developed the theory and practice of Social Therapy in the 1970s, founding the New York Institute for Social Therapy in 1977. Along with psychologist Lois Holzman, Fulani has worked to incorporate the social therapeutic approach into youth-oriented programs, most notably the New York City–based All Stars Project, which she co-founded in 1981.[5][6]

Fulani joined activists who supported Ross Perot for president in the 1992 United States presidential election in a national effort to create a new pro-reform party. In 1994 she led the formation of the Committee for a Unified Independent Party (CUIP). For years Fulani was active with Newman's version of the International Workers Party (IWP). Since then, she has been active with the Independence Party of New York.

  1. ^ Interview by Rob Redding, Redding News Review, March 12, 2002. Transcript. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
  2. ^ eNewsletter Volume 1 Archived October 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, All Stars Project Inc., March 18, 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2006
  3. ^ Lenora Fulani bio Archived February 7, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Speakers Platform. Retrieved February 20, 2006
  4. ^ Michael Slackman, "In New York, Fringe Politics in Mainstream", The New York Times, May 28, 2005. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
  5. ^ The All Stars, New York Voices, Thirteen WNET, New York. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
  6. ^ Edmund W. Gordon, Carol Bonilla Bowman, Brenda X. Mejia, "Changing the Script for Youth Development: An Evaluation of the All Stars Talent Show Network and the Joseph A. Forgione Development School for Youth" Archived October 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Institute for Urban and Minority Education (IUME), Teachers College, Columbia University, June 2003. Retrieved December 24, 2006