Last Updated on August 12, 2020, 6:20 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Bernard Fils-Aimé was an activist and an organizer who became a founding member of the Haitian Refugee Center.
He helped pioneer the cellular service in Haiti as the CEO of a mobile phone company where he made corporate giving and responsibility a rule rather than the exception and gave working Haitians access to the technology and the chance of getting connected.
After his retirement, he used his skills as the former assistant dean of students at Miami Dade College to groom the next generation of Haiti by giving them a chance of college education while acting as the chairman of the board of the Haitian Education & Leadership Program.
However, it is Bernard’s role as a militant organizer and activist, which eventually made him a founding member of one of the most potent Haitian rights organizations in the US.
Fils-Aimé told Dotie Joseph in Mayas part of a spotlight on trailblazing the Haitians during the Haitian Heritage month he was at the forefront of the battle of gaining legal status for Haitian refugees.
He said that many legal battles have been won, which have paved the way for the development of the Haitian-American community in South Florida.
Fils-Aimé spent his life working for raising the voice of Haitians at home as well as abroad, he died on Saturday at the University of Miami Hospital in Miami after he was infected with the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
Fils-Aimé passed away at the age of 67.
His 35-year-old son, Karl said that what gave meaning to his father’s life, except his loving family, is that he always fought for the rights of the people and for the communities, especially for Haiti.
Karl also said that his father was an exceptional human being and an even better father and that he would be missed dearly not just by him and his family, but also by the Haitian people.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
