[1] Watching Governor George Wallace bodily prevent Black students from entering a white school affected her deeply, and influenced her choice to become a lawyer and dedicate her life to civil rights.
[2] Golightly-Howell received her Juris Doctor from University of Colorado School of Law, where she was one of two Black students in her class.
[1] During her time at law school, she accepted a prominent one-year internship with the Denver District Attorney's Office alongside future governor of Colorado Bill Ritter.
[3] She was the first Vice President of the National Association of Black Women Attorneys, and founded the Colorado chapter of the organization.
[3] She went on to work for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the second African American Chief Regional Civil Rights Attorney in the Office of General Counsel.