Denise Oliver Velez was involved in social movements such as the Civil Rights and AIDS awareness programs. Oliver-Velez was a member of both the Young Lords Party and the Black Panther Party. She became the highest-ranking woman in the Young Lords Party. After the Young Lords moved its headquarters from New York to Puerto Rico, Denise Oliver-Velez joined the Black Panther Party. As a member, she worked on the local Panther Party paper and participated in international travel and solidarity work. She is currently an adjunct Professor of Anthropology and Women’s Studies at SUNY New Paltz, and is a Contributing Editor for the progressive political blog Daily Kos.