News & Insights

Liz Huntley Discusses Race, Equity and Early Childhood Education on Momentum Matters Podcast

November 23, 2020

Lightfoot Franklin & White LLC attorney Liz Huntley appeared on the Momentum Matters podcast as its first guest this week. 

She sat down with Momentum CEO April Benetollo to discuss the important topics of early childhood, race, and equity. Huntley shared her experience growing up in a broken home and the saving grace of early childhood education and its impact on her life. 

“I walked into that pre-school as a withdrawn, scared child going through all of this trauma, and I walked out of there with a valedictorian medallion around my neck, all because I was responding to the love and the nurturing environment in that school,” said Huntley. “It was a game changer, because it gave me a safe place to learn and be a kid and not have to think about those tough things I was going to walk back home to every night. It was really that foundation, that idea of school readiness — that is a serious battleground for equity.”

Watch a recording of the full podcast episode on YouTube here.

Founded in 2001, Momentum is a nonprofit organization that advances equity for women in leadership through a rigorous executive leadership program, Upward early-career program, conferences, community events, mentor matching, corporate training, and Men with Momentum initiative. With over 500 distinguished alumnae and a thousand mentor matches, Momentum represents a powerful network of women leaders in Alabama.

The organization awarded Huntley a Woman of Impact award at its Vision 2020 Conference in March. She received the award based on her commitment to not only her own work as an attorney, but also as CEO of The Hope Institute, a nonprofit she co-founded that works with schools to develop character education curriculum/programs. She shared her inspirational story in More Than a Bird, and she continues to share her message and story across the country through her advocacy work.

In addition to handling large corporate litigation matters at Lightfoot, Huntley is a committed child advocate and provides legal and consultation services to government and nonprofit agencies that serve children and families. She is frequently appointed by judges to represent the legal interests of children in civil cases.