MY NAME IS FRANCESCA HONG

Francesca is a mom, a service worker and a community organizer. And when COVID hit Wisconsin, she saw just how much our government was failing working families.

Not one to just complain about a problem, she rolled up my sleeves and got into the race. 2020 feels like a long time ago, but since then, she’s grown, learned, and helped bring real progress to the Wisconsin Legislature. 

But she never forgets who she is working for. Francesca knows the value of hard work and she puts everything she has into fighting to ensure every Wisconsinite has the opportunity to succeed, no matter their race, religion, zip code or bank account.

THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS

Growing up, Francesca saw her parents' hard work and perseverance. She learned the value of sacrifice and determination watching her mother’s ten-year journey from stay-at-home mom pursuing a degree in Education at UW-Madison to public-school teacher, showing great resilience even as she faced difficult language barriers. Her father finished his PhD at UW-Madison and has been a researcher at the Waisman Center for over thirty years.

Inspired by their courage, and unafraid to pursue her own dreams, Francesca began her journey to become an executive chef. But, as with all dreams, she had to learn and work her way up. In 2009 she started working in the dish pits of kitchens with low wages and no benefits. She worked multiple jobs as a line cook, then became a sous chef, and eventually... one of the youngest — and first female — executive chefs at 43 North Restaurant. As she learned from her parents, any path can provide opportunities to build a future if you’re willing to work hard and put your whole self into the task at hand. 

And that’s exactly what Francesca does with any obstacle she encounters.

A DEDICATION TO SERVICE

Growing her support network among professional female and non-binary chefs, cooks, food and beverage producers, growers, and artisans throughout Wisconsin, Francesca founded the Culinary Ladies Collective (CLC) in 2016 alongside her industry colleagues. 

Understanding that food is inherently political, the CLC provides a community of service, mentorship, volunteer outreach, education, fundraising, and advocacy while acknowledging the intersectional approaches that must be incorporated to create true equity, in an industry where it’s all too often lacking. 

Serving as the president of the Board of Directors of the CLC, as well as the lead organizer of the first annual Femmestival in 2020 (celebrating women and nonbinary entrepreneurs, artists, and producers), her vision for Wisconsin echoes that of the festival’s grounded purpose: to cultivate economic inclusivity, equity, and proliferation.

These valuable skills all contributed to the philosophies of community, inclusivity, and shared spaces that inspired the opening of Morris Ramen in downtown Madison, a mere six months after the birth of her son George. 

As a small business owner who worked her way up from the bottom, Francesca is keenly aware of the gaps between workers' needs and how they translate to tangible resources available to employers. That’s why she fights tirelessly for basic societal needs such as affordable healthcare, a livable wage, and access to public transportation. Too often, such communal needs fall on the shoulders of struggling business owners and the staff they support. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a bright and unfavorable light on an already profoundly problematic system. And that light created a calling for Francesca, foisting her to action as a leader and unwavering voice ready to create profound change in the Wisconsin State Legislature. 

IN THE LEGISLATURE

Francesca has used her time in the legislature to fight for democracy and freedom and to preserve our basic humanity from relentless GOP attacks. She has held the line, but she knows that progress never stops. We need to keep going, fighting for Wisconsin workers, families, and people. She knows the only way to legislative victories is through wins across the state. This is why Francesca has spent so much time building relationships, listening, and learning from diverse communities across Wisconsin. 

Her compassionate leadership developed through being a working-class mom and legislator contributes to her ongoing commitment to creating climate and environmental, racial, and economic justice, launching her to political action in this time of significant change and uncertainty. 

She’s working hard to create a government the people of Wisconsin deserve, one that honors the potential of all our communities and comprehensively supports resourcing their needs to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table.