Producer Will Packer Launches Rattler Freedom Fund and Rallies Voters at FAMU Ahead of Midterms
On Oct. 23, Hollywood producer Will Packer took the stage at his alma mater, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, delivering a dual message focused on electoral turnout and institutional independence. Addressing a crowd of students ahead of the midterm elections, Packer urged attendees to utilize their voting power while announcing the creation of the Rattler Freedom Fund, a private fundraising model designed to support the historically Black university independently of state financing.
According to reporting by variety.com, Packer appeared at the campus rally alongside Angie Nixon and David Jolly, candidates in Florida’s election for U.S. and governor, respectively. During his remarks, Packer pointed to decades of Republican control in Florida, arguing that it has resulted in the significant underfunding of FAMU. He told the crowd that the university and other institutions like it have faced challenging political dynamics in recent years.
“Florida A&M, like many HBCUs, is a public university, and so it is subject to the political leanings of whoever is in charge and in power,” Packer said, as reported by variety.com. “What we saw recently was something that many of us in the HBCU community thought could never happen, which is basically a MAGA takeover of a very, very prominent institution.”
The Stakes for Black Voter Turnout in Key Battleground States
Packer’s campus appearance comes at a time when many high-profile figures in entertainment have maintained a low political profile due to intense polarization. However, Packer stated that the political climate—marked by Florida A&M University facing hard core MAGA philosophy penetrating the statehouse—motivated him to step forward and campaign for candidates such as Nixon and Jolly.
Analysts and commentators have noted that strong turnout among Black voters in critical states like Florida, Georgia, and Texas could influence upcoming electoral results. Packer emphasized that community engagement remains central to achieving political change.
“Turnout is the key to electoral success, and turnout is about energy and excitement. Black voters have been the key to the Democrats’ success because of our engaged turnout,” Packer told variety.com. “When we are excited, engaged, and come out as a community and let our voices be heard, it matters.”
Voters face a looming deadline to cast their ballots by Nov. 3, a date Packer has consistently highlighted as a crucial window to push back against policies he views as harmful to democratic systems and minority representation.
Building Self-Sustaining Models for Historically Black Colleges and Universities
The centerpiece of Packer’s Tallahassee announcement was the Rattler Freedom Fund, named in honor of FAMU’s rattlesnake mascot. Packer graduated magna cum laude from the university in 1996 with a degree in electrical engineering before building a prominent career in film and television, producing projects such as Girls Trip, Straight Outta Compton, Fight Night, and the 2022 Academy Awards telecast.
Reflecting on his time at the institution, Packer credited FAMU with providing the foundation for his creative career. He stated that the new fund aims to establish a nonpartisan, self-sustaining financial mechanism so that HBCUs are not entirely reliant on shifting political administrations.
“When you are completely dependent on resources and financing from a government, then you are subject to the whims of that government and we’re seeing that play out in real time,” Packer told variety.com. “The Rattler Freedom Fund is a completely nonpartisan, independent organization to finance the aims and missions and students at our schools, so that we’re not so reliant on government financing.”
Since breaking the news during the Oct. 23 rally—which was carried live on “Roland Martin Unfiltered,” the daily news and commentary program that airs on Martin’s Black Star Network and YouTube—Packer has received inquiries from other HBCUs interested in establishing similar independent funding models for their own campuses.
