Participating in the Free Speech Movement while a student at the University of California, Berkeley, Goldberg was first elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education in 1983.

In the State Assembly, she authored several education-related bills and passed legislation that granted LGBT couples rights similar to those of married spouses.

Goldberg took a leading role and led the initial talks with the University of California administration to peacefully resolve the police car blockade before being replaced as the spokesperson by Mario Savio.

[4][5] She was arrested during a nonviolent demonstration, which subsequently prevented her from securing a job within the Los Angeles Unified School District.

[17] On July 23, 2018, following the resignation of incumbent District 5 board member Ref Rodriguez due to perjury and other felony charges, Goldberg expressed interest in filling his seat.

[32] In July 2020, following the George Floyd protests, Goldberg co-wrote a resolution with board member Mónica García to reduce the school police budget by $25 million.

[44] In 1993, Goldberg entered the race for the Los Angeles City Council's 13th district seat after incumbent Michael Woo opted not to seek re-election, instead making an unsuccessful mayoral bid.

[45] Future councilmember Tom LaBonge, who was serving as an aide to council president John Ferraro at the time, also ran in the election.

[46][47] She and LaBonge advanced to a runoff, with Goldberg receiving endorsements from high-profile Democrats like Gloria Molina and aiming to perform well in ethnically diverse urban areas.

[50] In the subsequent runoff election, Goldberg defeated LaBonge, becoming the first openly lesbian candidate to win a seat on the City Council.

[54] Goldberg led the revitalization of the Hollywood area after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, in which she and her staff helped the Federal Disaster Assistance with giving supplies.

She also assisted in forming the Yucca Corridor Coalition, which helped renovate the crime-ridden area, and developed a successful slum abatement program that held landlords accountable.

[59] The election to succeed her saw a variety of candidates, including her brother, Arthur, former councilmember Woo, former candidate and Goldberg's staffer Terrazas, activist Bennett Kayser, assemblyman Scott Wildman, and Eric Garcetti, the son of Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti.

[61] In 1999, Goldberg entered the 2000 election for the California State Assembly to succeed Antonio Villaraigosa, who was termed out and running for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2001.

[65] In the primary, Goldberg secured a landslide victory over Portillo, and subsequently proceeded to win the general election unopposed.

[68][69][70] She was a founding member of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus in June 2002 alongside Mark Leno, Sheila Kuehl, John Laird, and Christine Kehoe.

The bill gave same-sex couples financial obligations to each other and to any children, responsibility for each others' debts, and the ability to own property and file taxes jointly.

[83] When Roy Romer was nearing retirement as Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Goldberg was rumored to be campaigning for an appointment to the office, although she denied having any interest in the position.