Francis Henn
Hometown:
Seattle, WA
Connect: LinkedIn
Francis is excited to connect with and support the Central American immigrant community in Southwest Wisconsin. He looks forward to learning about their stories and contributing to their success in the United States, which aligns with the values and practices of his Peace Corps experience when he served in Guatemala.
Francis grew up in Seattle, WA and studied at Western Washington University in Bellingham. After earning his BA in American Cultural Studies, he served as a Maternal and Child Health Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Northern Guatemala. During his two years there, he became involved with a number of community-based agricultural projects. These experiences sparked an interest in small scale farming, and upon his return he started working on organic farms and eventually ran his own enterprise.
ERC Project
Project Title:
Southwest Wisconsin Pathways
Host Community or Region:
Wisconsin
Host Organization:
Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
In Southwest Wisconsin, food manufacturing employment is seven times higher than the national average due to a strong history of agriculture and family farms, but workforce shortages threaten its ability to sustain or retain local businesses. This project addresses the labor shortage by bolstering the immigrant workforce and fostering immigrant-inclusive economic development strategies. By integrating the immigrant workforce into the local economy, the aim is to recognize and celebrate the growing influence in the community. The ERC Fellow will work to unify employers and immigrant communities and to develop a comprehensive toolkit addressing the unique needs of international employment. The outcome will be a robust, well-integrated immigrant workforce, supported by an informed community navigator network. This impacts five-counties, enhancing the local economy and workforce, and fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment for immigrants and their families. Early success has the promise of a national model for a prosperous and diverse rural America with the fellow’s support.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
