Will Packer, FAMU alumnus and Hollywood producer, condemns presidential finalist amid growing turmoil

Acclaimed film producer and FAMU alumnus Will Packer took to social media Thursday to  publicly voice his strong opposition to FAMU presidential search finalist Marva Johnson in  decrying her ties to Florida’s MAGA Republican leadership as a threat to the university’s legacy.

Packer, said in a video shared across his various social media platforms which collectively reach over 1.3 million followers, "a group of activist Republicans ---at the highest levels-- are trying to install someone who is solidly unqualified—Marva Johnson, a career lobbyist with zero experience in higher education administration (as our university president).

“This isn’t about party affiliation. It’s about opposing ideologies that attack diversity, equity, and inclusion—the pillars FAMU was built on,” said Packer, whose blockbuster films include Girls Trip and Ride Along.

A polarizing figure
Johnson, a former Florida State Board of Education chair and appointee under Govs. Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis, has faced fierce criticism from the FAMU community for her political ties. Her lack of academic experience and alleged role in advancing policies hostile to DEI initiatives, book banning, and others have made her a lightning rod in the search process.

Packer’s condemnation follows a fiery community meeting at Bethel AME Church, where prominent Tallahassee attorney Chuck Hobbs likened Johnson to a “MAGA Trojan horse” intent on undermining FAMU and other historically Black institutions. “Serving on a board does not an educator make,” Hobbs argued, questioning how Johnson surpassed 50 candidates with academic backgrounds.

For many students, FAMU represents a lifeline. “This isn’t just school its a life-or-death resource”, a way out of now way," said senior Jada Carter, a first-generation graduate. FAMU alumni fear state leaders are weaponizing higher education to advance ideological agendas, citing DeSantis’s overhaul of New College and attacks on DEI programs. “We reject Marva Johnson and the GOP's  attempts to impose their culture wars on the ‘Highest of Seven Hills,’” read a statement from a coalition of alumni chapters, referencing FAMU’s historic mission.

Mobilizing the masses
Packer urged his followers to support a student-led petition on Change.org and join a campus protest scheduled for May 14. “FAMU deserves better. It’s time to take a stand,” he declared, referencing the university’s motto, “Excellence With Caring.” His post has since garnered over 250,000 likes and 40,000 shares, amplifying scrutiny of the search committee’s controversial decision to add Johnson as a fourth finalist.

Behind the scenes strife
Sources reveal Johnson’s inclusion followed a contentious search committee meeting, with a late arrival of a search committee member who had not participated in the deliberations for two days showing up on zoom in the final minutes to case the deciding vote to add Johnson to the list of finalist —a move critics call “orchestrated.” Search Committee Chair Deveron Gibbons has repeatedly defended the process as transparent, though the Florida Board of Governors continues to investigate irregularities, including nondisclosure agreements and deliberation records.

What’s next
The four finalists, including Johnson, will participate in public forums May 12–15 before the Board of Trustees’ decisive vote. As pressure mounts, students and alumni vow to pack this week’s sessions, demanding a leader aligned with FAMU’s mission.

“We won’t let political agendas erase 138 years of progress,” Packer asserted. “The College of Love and Charity must be protected.”