Wilner Auguste, founder of the Haitian-Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.) of Massachusetts has been named a 2009 Ambassador of Hope for Haiti by Eritaj Foundation. An organization based in Framingham and Port-au-Prince since 1999, Eritaj Fondation seeks to promote organizational, social and economic development in Haiti. The foundation gives the title of Ambassador of Hope for Haiti to any person who promotes a healthier legacy for Haiti by contributing to the advancement of education, Haitian art, music, community health and development. Wilner Auguste was chosen for fulfilling this high calling. Wilner started that calling in June 1960 when he founded in Haiti “Club Printanier” a social cultural group and “CEFAJADE” a Family Education Center with a free evening school for youth who could not afford it, in December 1971. He’s a former member of two groups working for the advancement of the Creole language: Mouvman Kreyol Dayiti and Sosyete Koukouy. In Boston, Wilner founded with his wife and four other couples the Interaction Family Circle, Inc. (CINFA), a Haitian Family Support Group in 1981. He started Tele Kreyol, the first Boston Haitian access community television at BNN-TV in 1986 and he’s also its executive producer. Wilner initiated the Annual Haitian Heritage Month celebration in Boston in 1998 with two hosts of Tele Kreyol, Charlot Lucien and Oreste Joseph. Haitian Heritage Month is now celebrated in several cities in the United States. In May 2000, Wilner founded the Haitian Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.) which is the leading organization in Massachusetts behind the Annual Haitian Independence Day Gala in January, the Haitian Flag Raising Ceremony at Boston City Hall Plaza, and the Haitian American Unity Parade on Blue Hill Ave in May. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1946, Wilner went to Lycee Alexandre Petion for his primary and secondary education and Julian Craan School of Commerce where he graduated in 1966 in Bookkeeping and accounting. After graduation, He worked as bookkeeper for his father Andre Auguste at Yvanhoe Shoes Shop. Wilner came to Boston in 1973. He worked at Fernald State School for 8 years as Mental Retardation Assistant and went to Newbury Junior College where he got an associate degree in Apply Science in the curriculum of Accounting in 1983. He’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management at Eastern Nazarene College. Wilner received in May of this year two other awards: one for his more than twenty years working in Bay Cove Human Services’ Accounting Department and the other one from the Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN-TV), in recognition of his twenty-three years of significant contributions to media access. He is the recipient of several awards and citations from state officials and community organizations such as Echo Evangelique de Boston, Mass. State Senate, Haitian American Public Health Initiatives, On Camera Talent Television, and Mass. House of Representatives. Wilner has been married for 31 years to Marie Michele Thimothee Auguste who works as a registered nurse at Boston Medical Center. The couple has three children: Gerald, David, and Sarah.