# Foung Hawj *American media producer and member of the Minnesota Senate* Foung Hawj is an American media producer and politician who sits in the [[Minnesota Senate]] for District 67. The district takes in the east side of Saint Paul, in Ramsey County, [[Minnesota]].[^1] He belongs to the [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]] (DFL).[^1] Born in Laos, he spent time in refugee camps before coming to the United States. He worked in public television and later ran his own multimedia firm.[^2] He won his Senate seat in 2012 and was returned to it in 2016, 2020 and 2022. He was assistant minority leader in 2021–22. As of the October 2026 revision of his Wikipedia biography, he is assistant majority leader and chairs the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee.[^3] ## Early life, education, and career Laos is Foung's birthplace. According to the biography, his father was a military diplomat who supervised air deliveries of humanitarian cargo in Vientiane and Long Tieng.[^2] Foung's childhood coincided with the Vietnam War. His family lived in refugee camps before moving to the United States.[^2] The University of Kansas awarded him a B.A. in media arts and computer science in 1990. In 2001 he completed an M.S. in applied science and technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology.[^2] During the 1990s Foung worked as a series producer at Twin Cities Public Television. In 1996 he founded Digital Motion LLC, a multimedia company.[^2] In 1992 he co-founded the Hmong-American DFL Caucus. He also helped establish the Center for the Hmong Arts and Talent, the Minnesota Hmong Chamber of Commerce, and the Gateway Food Initiative Co-op. That co-op began the development of the Mississippi Market on East 7th Street.[^2] ## Minnesota Senate Foung first sought the District 67 seat in 2012, with the Sierra Club's backing. He won the primary and then carried the general election on November 6.[^3] The biography lists his legislative priorities as economic development, social and economic equity, education, housing, the environment and healthcare. It credits his first term with new business development along 7th Street, the Science and Education Center for Metro State University, and job-creation funding for the district's economy.[^3] His first reelection campaign began on January 16, 2016, with an event at the Carpenter Union in the district. He was reelected in 2016, 2020 and 2022.[^3] He held the post of assistant minority leader in 2021–22. As of the biography's October 2026 revision, he is assistant majority leader and chairs the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee. He also sits on the Jobs and Economic Development Committee and the Transportation Committee.[^3] ## Personal life Foung is an outdoorsman. He has produced environmental videos, working as both videographer and scriptwriter.[^4] His home has been at the south end of Lake Phalen since 2001, and he is captain of a dragon boat team.[^4] He and his wife, Anna, met in 1987, when he was a student at the University of Kansas.[^4] He uses the RPA spelling Hawj for his surname to help English speakers come closer to how it is pronounced. The biography renders the pronunciation as FONG HUR.[^1][^4] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Foung Hawj*, lead section (revision 1378216497, retrieved 2026-10-26; CC BY-SA 4.0) — establishes his Senate seat, District 67 and its area, DFL membership, and the pronunciation of his name. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foung_Hawj [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Foung Hawj*, section "Early life, education, and career" (revision 1378216497, retrieved 2026-10-26; CC BY-SA 4.0) — establishes his birth in Laos, his father's post, refugee-camp years, degrees and years, his television and business career, and the organizations he co-founded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foung_Hawj [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Foung Hawj*, section "Minnesota Senate" (revision 1378216497, retrieved 2026-10-26; CC BY-SA 4.0) — establishes his 2012 election, his stated priorities, the 2016 campaign launch, his reelections, his leadership posts and his committee assignments. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foung_Hawj [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Foung Hawj*, section "Personal life" (revision 1378216497, retrieved 2026-10-26; CC BY-SA 4.0) — establishes his video work, his residence at Lake Phalen since 2001, his dragon boat team, his meeting his wife in 1987, and the RPA spelling of his surname. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foung_Hawj