Producer Will Packer led a rally at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee on 23 October to urge students to vote in the midterm elections on 3 November.
Packer appeared alongside Angie Nixon and David Jolly during the event, which was broadcast live on "Roland Martin Unfiltered."
Packer, who graduated magna cum laude in 1996 with an electrical engineering degree from Florida A&M University, said, "If it was not for my HBCU experience, I wouldn’t be where I am. It’s where I found my voice. It’s where I really found the foundation for me being a creative producer that I am." The university is one of 107 schools in the United States designated as Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Packer claimed that decades of Republican control in the Sunshine State have resulted in significant underfunding for Florida A&M University.
He further alleged that the institution has been buffeted by "some very hard core MAGA philosophy" that has penetrated the Florida statehouse.
Packer described the situation as a "MAGA takeover of a very, very prominent institution" that many in the HBCU community thought could never happen. To address these issues, he announced the launch of the Rattler Freedom Fund during the rally.
Packer explained that the fund is a completely nonpartisan, independent organization intended to finance the missions and students at these schools so they are not so reliant on government financing.
He said, "What we need to have is an independent financing source. This is not about Democrats versus Republicans. It is about HBCUs and saying we need to be able to fund our own purposes and aims and goals, independent of whoever may be in the governor’s house and whoever may control the state legislature." Packer noted that being completely dependent on government resources makes institutions subject to the whims of the government, a reality he said is playing out in real time.
Packer emphasized that turnout is the key to electoral success and that Black voters have been essential to Democratic success because of their engaged turnout.
He said, "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. When we are excited, engaged, and come out as a community and let our voices be heard, it matters." Because of his strong relationship with that community, Packer said he felt it would be remiss not to speak out about his perspective.
He said, "So, for me, as somebody that’s got a very strong relationship with that community, I feel like I would be remiss if I wasn’t at least saying to people, ‘Let me tell you what I’m going to do. Let me tell you how I see this.’" Packer identified opportunities for Black voter turnout in the governorships of Georgia and Florida, as well as the Senate races in both states.
He said, "I see there’s an opportunity in places like the governorship in Georgia, the governorship in Florida, the Senate race in both states that I’m very close to and states where I know that Black voter turnout is absolutely going to matter."
Packer said, "I feel that it is incumbent upon me as somebody is never shy about saying, ‘Hey, you know what? This is what’s important in the movie industry. I think people should come out and support this type of film because this will say that to the industry that this is we should use our economic power.’ So why would I stop there, especially when it’s something that is so important? I think we’re in an existential moment in terms of our democracy and which direction we’re going to go." Packer shared that many industry friends are nervous about speaking out due to political polarization.
He recounted a conversation with a high-profile rapper and actor who believed there is no way to win by speaking politically because it will inevitably upset half of the audience. Packer compared the political backlash to his experience hosting the Oscars, where people told him he could only lose.
He said, "It reminds me of when I was when I was having conversation with people about hosting the Oscars, and people said to me, ‘Why would I do this? I can only lose.’ So I hear the same thing about politics. But I feel like, we’re on this earth for however long God allows us to be. What are you doing with yourself and your human voice and your mission? If you’re not out there influencing people and doing things that you can feel proud of and sleep well at night, then have you really given it your all? Have you really made the most impactful legacy that you have on this earth? That’s why I got to where I am today."
Packer said, "I have always said that my opinion is not any more important than anybody else’s, but it’s certainly not any less important."
Packer
