License to Thrive

"Bella Fellas"

The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI) utilizes the signature leadership skills of the late New York Congresswoman Bella S. Abzug to mentor and train high school and college-age women, helping them develop the confidence and skills they need to be effective, dynamic and visionary leaders as well as  active and creative participants in civic, political, corporate and community life.

BALI was founded by Abzug's daughter, Liz Abzug, to honor the work of her mother.  Bella Abzug was the first woman to run for the U.S. Senate from New York. Abzug lost the 1976 Senate race by less than 1 percent to Patrick Moynihan and, the next year, ran for Mayor of New York City, becoming the first woman ever to run for that office. As a result of her ground-breaking campaigns for higher office, Bella is often credited with paving the way for women who aspire to even higher levels of political office as well as opening the doors of power to all women and especially to generations of women leaders in politics and government. Bella Abzug served as Chairwoman of President Carter's National Women’s Advisory Council and presided over the first National Conference on Women in Houston in 1977 where 2,000 elected delegates from every state and territory in the U.S. and 18,000 observers attended and developed a precedent-setting National Platform of Action for women.  In the early 1990’s, Abzug  co-founded the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), one of the largest non-governmental organizations working in the United Nations and internationally to achieve full economic rights and equal representation for women.

The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI) mentors and trains young women in high school and college to be proactive, principle-driven leaders of tomorrow in fields that transform society and the country's political system.  Utilizing the dynamic political and strategic leadership skills of the institute's namesake, BALI helps young women build the confidence and techniques necessary to be effective and visionary leaders in a wide variety of fields, and active participants in civic, corporate, political and community life.

Students in the BALI high school program participate in a two-week intensive debate and leadership training program.  Trainees who graduate from the program are known as "Bella Fellas.”   When they complete the BALI training, Bella Fellas are encouraged to get involved in specific projects to inspire social consciousness among their classmates and friends by designing an issue campaign that affects their own lives.  Program participants are also provided on-going mentoring by program trainers and are also offered internship placements.  

The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute will hold its First Annual Bella and Bella Fella Awards on Tuesday, Sept. 16, in New York City.