Will Packer Launches Private Fund to Shield HBCUs from State Politics

Hollywood producers rarely walk into the middle of a state-level political fight, but Will Packer has spent the last few weeks doing exactly that. On Oct. 23, he stood on a stage at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee to urge students to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. The event was not just a speech; it served as the announcement of a new financial vehicle designed to protect the institution he graduated from.

Packer revealed the launch of the Rattler Freedom Fund, a private fundraising effort named after FAMU’s mascot. The fund aims to build a model of independent financing that he plans to extend to other Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He argued that decades of Republican control in Florida have led to underfunding of state schools, making a shift in political power necessary for change.

The producer joined the stage with Angie Nixon, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida, and David Jolly, the Democratic candidate for governor. Packer also voiced support for Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is running for governor in Georgia. He cited recent political moves, including the Trump administration’s stance on DEI programs and Florida’s curriculum changes regarding slavery, as reasons for his public intervention.

Packer believes that high voter turnout among Black communities is the deciding factor in key states. “Turnout is the key to electoral success, and turnout is about energy and excitement,” he said. He noted that he feels responsible for mobilizing the community because of his established relationship with that audience through his work on films like “Girls Trip” and “Straight Outta Compton.”

The risk of taking a public stance is a concern Packer acknowledges. He compared the hesitation he sees in the entertainment industry to the conversations he had while recruiting a host for the 2022 Academy Awards. “I have a lot of friends across the industry who say that speaking out makes them very nervous because it’s so polarized,” he said. He believes that using his platform to influence change is part of his legacy.

FAMU is one of 107 designated HBCUs in the United States and operates as part of the Florida state university system. Packer stated that the school has faced pressure from what he described as “very hard core MAGA philosophy” within the state government. He sees the new fund as a way to break the cycle of dependence on state resources.

“What we need to have is an independent financing source,” Packer said. He emphasized that the fund is nonpartisan and intended to allow HBCUs to manage their own goals without relying on the governor’s office or the state legislature. Since the announcement, he has received inquiries from other HBCUs interested in the model.

Packer graduated magna cum laude from FAMU in 1996 with a degree in electrical engineering. He credits the school with providing the educational and cultural foundation for his career in film production. The rally was broadcast live on Roland Martin Unfiltered, a program that has been covering local events in battleground states for the past two weeks.