Hi, my name is Fran Wilson.

My family has deep roots in Ward 1.

I grew up going to school and church on the same block where I now live in the West Hill neighborhood. It’s the same neighborhood my family has had ties to for four generations. 

About one hundred years ago, my great grandma moved to Akron for work, later finding herself in a flat off West Market Street where the Akron Family Restaurant now stands. She worked as a cook for several of the local rubber families and started going to St. Vincent De Paul parish. 

My grandfather built out a plumbing and heating business on Cedar Street, while raising a family on Crown. My dad took on the family business, sending his kids to St. Vincent for school.

I have lived a significant amount of my life on this block. And a big part of the reason why I am running for local office is because of the family history I carry with me.

I wasn’t always political.

While finishing college in Kentucky, I witnessed other LGBTQIA+ people around me being fired and evicted because of who they loved and how they presented themselves. I volunteered with a movement to pass city-wide protections for queer workers and renters. I was in the room when the commissioners voted down my own civil protections, denying justice for many. 

It was that moment when I knew I had to dive into local policy work.

When I moved back to Akron, I poured myself into community work. I started attending council weekly. In 2021, I was appointed by the mayor to serve as an Akron Civil Rights Commissioner — investigating complaints of discrimination. I applied for the vacant Ward 1 position when our Former Councilor Rich Swirsky passed. I wasn’t chosen, but that didn’t stop me. I began organizing with the West Hill Neighborhood Organization, later becoming a board member — knocking doors, organizing community events, securing funding for mutual aid projects and space improvements.

After years organizing around city issues and enraged by the city’s stances on police violence and homelessness and conservation, I ran for office in 2023 to bring a new perspective to city hall and to build people power. I placed fifth in a field of nine candidates, garnering over 6,000 votes, supported by over 350 grassroots donors. My fight didn’t start when I ran, and it didn’t end when I lost that election.

I have a lot to offer as a city councilor.

I work as a restaurant server and also for a remote public relations firm, with a focus on US-China relations. I do research, write, and help clients position themselves online. I’ve got a Honors BA in Digital Storytelling and a long resume around Mandarin Chinese language learning. And I’m slowly working on a Master in Studies of Law at the University of Akron.

For the last three years, I’ve built out a team of locals that read news and publish a weekly newsletter on city issues. During election season and the rest of the year, I work with neighborhood groups and community organizers to knock doors, develop issue campaigns, and leverage my connections to push for change at city hall.

When you vote for a Ward 1 representative, you’re voting for someone to represent you and the entire city. I have an unwavering commitment to civic engagement, grassroots organizing, and advocating for the needs of the marginalized. I will bring care, a listening ear, and new energy to this role — because I love Akron and because Akronites deserve good representation.