Golden Goodwin, the middle of three children, was born in Exeter, California and raised in the Central Valley of California. He is the son of Leitha Parmer (Groth), an author, and Isaiah Goodwin. He has Cuban, Native American Indian, and West African (Mandinka) ancestry. Goodwin spent most of his youth in California and Colorado, and graduated from Highlands Ranch High School. He was very active in sports such as football, basketball, track & field and baseball. Earning multiple Division 1 college scholarships later on exhaling as a professional athlete in American Football.