In 1976 Huggins became the first woman and first Black person to be appointed to the Alameda County Board of Education. Whilst on the board Huggins identified problems with the County's education of disabled children including Deaf education programs being located in back hallways, a county proposal for a development center for disabled children being located on a fault line, the overrepresentation of Black boys in special education classes, and the use of Ritalin and other amphetamines on children without doctor approval.