Bonsitu joined the ACLU of Michigan in 2016 and became the Deputy Legal Director in 2019. Bonsitu works on a wide range of cutting-edge civil rights cases involving reproductive justice and rights, economic justice, racial justice, and free speech, among others. She has litigated cases on behalf of a class of Black homeowners in Detroit who were subjected to illegal tax foreclosures, and Flint residents during the Flint Water Crisis to secure the replacement of all lead pipes in the city. Bonsitu also leads the ACLU’s work to protect access to abortion in litigation and led the legal effort to enshrine the full spectrum of reproductive rights in the Michigan Constitution through the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot initiative in 2022.
Bonsitu’s favorite word encapsulates what she strives to achieve for the people she represents: “Billisumma.” It is from the Oromo language of East Africa and means “freedom from oppression.” Bonsitu’s commitment to defend the rights of others is rooted in her admiration for her mother and father, who emigrated to Canada from Guyana and East Africa, respectively. “They are completely selfless and everything I hope to be.” Bonsitu says.
Bonsitu has been recognized for her outstanding legal advocacy work, earning the State Bar of Michigan's 2024 Champion of Justice Award, Planned Parenthood of Michigan’s 2023 Social Justice Award, and Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly 2022 Influential Women of Law award, among others.
Bonsitu is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School and the University of Toronto. A Canadian native, Bonsitu now works and lives in Michigan with her two sons and partner. When Bonsitu is not fighting for her clients, she does yoga, aerial silks, and spends time with family and friends. She also belongs to a women’s book club made up of her closest friends from law school. She says they provide her with a “jolt of female empowerment every month.”
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonsitu-kitaba-a178596b/
