WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh moved to Philadelphia from a border town in Texas to attend college at the University of Pennsylvania, went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, before returning to the Philadelphia area after graduation; and

WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh, began her career as a staff attorney at Community Legal Services, in the Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit, where she worked for seven years, helping to save the homes of hundreds of Philadelphians; and

WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh became the founding Executive Director of Philadelphia Legal Assistance in 1996 at the young age of 32, where she fearlessly grew the fledging non-profit year after year, prioritizing eradicating oppression and initiating numerous innovative programs that increased access to justice for vulnerable, low income Philadelphians, and where she remained at the helm for over 25 years until her untimely passing; and

WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh was a mentor and champion to countless new attorneys, an advocate for women and members of the Latinx community, working tirelessly to expand and improve legal aid services throughout the city, all with an unwavering devotion to create a more just society; and

WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh was a longtime member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, serving as the Co-Chair of the Delivery of Legal Services Committee, and honored with the Association's prestigious Andrew Hamilton Award (now known as Bending the Arc) in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh was an active leader locally and statewide, who served in various officer positions on the Board of Ceiba, as a Board Member at both Delaware Valley Community Health and Friends of Farmworkers (now known as Justice at Work), and a past President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania and the HBA Legal Education Fund; and

WHEREAS, Anita Santos-Singh was recognized for her impact on the community, including for her commitment to civil rights by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations; she was honored with the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania's La Justicia Award, named as an "Unsung Heroine" by SEAMAAC (the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition), recipient of the Orgullo Award from the Latino Law Students Association of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and recipient of the J.T. Canales Alumni Award from the Latino Law Students Association of the University of Michigan Law School; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the magnitude of Anita Santos-Singh's professional accomplishments, she is remembered for her warmth, her positive outlook, her courage and grit, her commitment to justice, her belief in fairness, her devotion to her colleagues, family, and friends; her love of laughter and dancing, her admiration for Rafael Nadal, her kindness and grace extended to her staff in their times of need, her long legacy of encouraging others; and her appreciation for travel, knitting, and British crime fiction.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Philadelphia Bar Association adopts this resolution in recognition of the character, contributions, and achievements of Anita Santos-Singh, and in honor of a beloved and respected leader, and genuine friend.

PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
ADOPTED: March 26, 2024