She was co-founder of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, and served on the board of the National LGBTQ Task Force.

[2] She converted to Roman Catholicism in Germany, and graduated from the College of St. Catherine with a bachelor's degree in French.

In 1989, she started a consulting business, Betty Powell Associates, focused on diversity policies and anti-racism training.

[3] Powell was a founding member of Salsa Soul Sisters and the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays.

[7] Powell was active in the United Nations World Conferences on Women,[3] and SAGE, an advocacy organization for LGBTQ elders.