A woman of substance, fortitude, and compassion, Velveta Golightly-Howell is best described as a servant leader. Refusing to recognize superiority of any race over another, at age seven, Ms. Golightly-Howell became a racial justice warrior. Since then, she has continuously moved past obstacles in pursuit of equality and access for all individuals, particularly those most marginalized. A lawyer with licenses in Colorado, New York, and before the U.S. Supreme Court, she has decades of leadership, legal, and executive experience. Ms. Golightly-Howell uses accumulated talents, skills, and knowledge to propel positive societal change. As someone who “speaks truth to power”, she is motivated by injustices and inequities diminishing and, ultimately destroying, far too many lives. As an attorney and senior executive within the highest levels of government, she used her positions for the public good. Today, she founded and leads a Colorado-incorporated, tax-exempt public charity missioned to advance equity for Black women, their families, and communities, in general.
Ms. Golightly-Howell has been an engaged and very active ACLU Colorado Board Director for the past five years. She has served as At-Large Representative to the Executive Committee and on the governance, personnel, and nominating committees. Under her leadership, the affiliate revamped its Board recruitment and nominating processes to enhance demographic diversity and diversity of thought, lived experiences, career backgrounds, and community service. Ms. Golightly-Howell is a past director of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness Board, past chair of the Broomfield City and County Personnel Merit Commission, and past Director of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. She currently serves on the NAACP Boulder County Executive Committee, the University of Colorado School of Law Alumni Board, and the Colorado Supreme Court’s Character and Fitness Committee.
Ms. Golightly-Howell epitomizes the mantras that drive her, “Out of one, many”, and “To whom much is given, much is required.” A recipient of myriad gubernatorial, legislative, judicial, and other leadership appointments, she approaches her responsibilities with passion and grit. For her, lasting results benefiting communities are the end game. A passionate mentor of those less seasoned, she is extremely proud of her mentees, who themselves now hold leadership positions in every sphere of employment. In addition to spending time with her cherished family, friends, and mentees, Ms. Golightly-Howell loves traveling to different parts of the world. To explore cultures and learn, she and her husband (often with their children) have visited four continents, 36 countries, 44 states, and virtually all the Caribbean Islands. Ms. Golightly-Howell is honored to serve on the ACLU Colorado Board of Directors.