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Will Rucker
Nevada's Champion for Life, Liberty, and Happiness...
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to be safe, happy and to live at the level of their divine worth.”
In each generation, leaders emerge with a vision to move us forward into a more prosperous future. Will Rucker is that visionary. An “old-soul” who spent his childhood summers learning the wisdom of his grandparents, Will has a deep respect for tradition, order, and the remarkable history of our great city. It is out of this rich heritage that his faith in the potential of our future is built.
Visionary Leadership for the Future of Nevada
Originally from Michigan, Reverend Will Rucker came to Las Vegas with a master’s degree in Executive Leadership and over fifteen years of experience leading teams and organizations. A current board member of several regional non-profits, including the Interfaith Council of South Nevada, Community Partners for Better Health, and the Nevada Minority Health & Equity Coalition, Will has built coalitions that cross all political, racial, and economic lines and is ready to be our next Nevada State Assemblyman in District 13 .
“Las Vegas didn’t rise to be one of the best-known places in the world by letting fear dictate our direction. Our city is great, our state is great because it is the beacon of reinvention, revolution, and bravery.” Will Rucker believes that we should always pursue what is best for our community and not settle for what’s easiest. From the first time he visited Las Vegas in the early 90’s, Rucker knew that it would be his home.
Consistent Values
Throughout his life, Will Rucker has been guided by a clear sense of purpose directed by the values of compassion, fairness, and love.
Passionate about cultivating a universal culture of compassion, Will Rucker’s path began in church ministry, where he earned two college degrees in theology, founded a dynamic church, authored two books, traveled across continents teaching, and had a successful career in leadership. It is this foundation that guides Will to this day.
Though he is not a career politician, Will has been consistent with his vision for community and active engagement in government his entire life. In fact, his first public appearance was on the local news where he shared his passionate concern for the environment and willingness to challenge authority, even if that meant telling the world that his beloved science teacher grandmother was filling up her gas tank on Ozone Action Day.
Education Advocate
Rucker was a key voice in passing funding initiatives to improve education for his school district as an elementary school student. In high school, he continued advocating for the needs of his community and challenging the status quo as the host and producer of a local talk show where he interviewed local government officials, school board members, and other community members with the authority to make change happen.
Will doesn’t believe that real change can be mandated by government. Even as a teen, he lived by the motto, “Be The Change,” and founded a multicultural touring choir at his high school, Interlochen Arts Academy, where he attended on a vocal performance music scholarship. He always challenged his peers to champion diversity and broaden their perspectives. He continued to champion community-led change in college while serving his local church as a worship pastor, working full-time to put himself through school, and leading social groups to build stronger community bonds.
International Minister
Understanding that the world was becoming increasingly connected, Will Rucker began extending his influence overseas where he built a reputation for being a remarkable diplomat even though he was visiting only as a faith leader. Traveling through Europe to West Africa, Rucker learned the nuances of international business and deepened his appreciation for cultures that differed from his own. His experiences while traveling abroad, and to many regions across the US, allowed him to have an appreciation for America’s heritage and influence that could not come from study alone. This is why, in part, the church he later founded included “Freedom” in its name.
Public Servant
After years of leadership in corporate giants like Comcast Xfinity and A&T, and earning his master’s degree in Executive Leadership, Will wanted to increase his impact on the world and devote himself full-time to public service. He understood that while money is an important part of life, creating a better world for future generations was more important. To “ be the change,” he started a small business and began volunteering for local non-profit organizations.
He soon found himself at home with the American Lung Association in Nevada. What was supposed to be a short contract for local outreach turned into the role of Director of Health Promotions for the national organization’s Western Division spanning from Michigan to Hawaii.
Working with the nation’s oldest public health organization has been a fulfilling experience and he is proud to have helped secure and manage millions of dollars in grant funding for research and education that saves lives. Even though his role is primarily focused on leading teams across the western half of the United States, he is still able to work as the local point of contact for health promotion in Las Vegas, talking to community members about their health challenges, providing resources at health fairs at local community centers, and delivering training to local nurses, doctors, and community health workers.
Working Toward Happiness and Equity
In the years Will Rucker has lived in Las Vegas, he has driven significant positive changes in the community and in the government.
He was instrumental in establishing permanent funding for the State Office of Minority Health and Equity as one of the first members of its coalition. As a result of his initiative to create awareness of the importance of sustainability, resilience, happiness, and well-being in our community, in 2016, Mayor Carolyn Goodman declared December 1st “Lift Up Vegas Day.”
In May of 2021, as a result of Rucker’s leadership of Compassionate Las Vegas, the Las Vegas City Council unanimously voted to adopt Compassion as a key value for the city. Will Rucker’s community engagement extends from local barbershops where he has hosted health forums, to elementary, middle, and high schools where he has offered drug prevention programming. He also offers the invocation prayer for School Board and County Commission meetings.
Connected to Community
Real leadership comes from the engagement of the community, so Will has hosted forums at City Hall to address fair housing, tele-town halls to address public health and safety, and virtual webinars to address youth mental health that give community members a platform to voice their concerns and share their solutions. He also hosts a call-in radio show aimed at reducing health disparities and a podcast where he highlights the many heroes of our community while holding leaders accountable.
Will is also a current board member of several regional non-profits, including the Interfaith Council of South Nevada, the Community Partners for Better Health, and the Nevada Minority Health & Equity Coalition, and is a Steering Committee Member of Compassionate Las Vegas.
Nonprofit Board Member
In 2021, Will Rucker recognized that in order to make Las Vegas’ resolution to be a compassionate city a reality, he needed to give even more of himself to create change. In the countless interviews, town halls, and conversations he facilitated a theme emerged that he could not ignore. We do not lack the resources, finances, or ability to end hunger, homeless, or poverty. We have everything we need to create safer, stronger neighborhoods and to develop meaningful, good-paying jobs in our city. Rucker heard time and time again that all we lacked was the political Will to make change, so he answered the call to serve as District 13’s new State Assemblyman.
This campaign isn’t backed by the deep pockets of those who think things are fine the way they are now. Will doesn’t have the political insiders guiding his every move or dictating his words. What he does have is the support of the people like you, those who live in and love our city and state. The Declaration of Independence so profoundly declares, we are all made EQUAL by our Creator, and all must be TREATED equally under the law. Rucker believes this with his whole heart and like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., before him, Rucker dreams of a Las Vegas where people are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Our right to safety and happiness is endowed by a power higher than any of us yet available to each of us. In our State Assembly, Will Rucker will work to ensure that every person in District 13 and across our state will have real access to the Dream. Work doesn’t have to be hard and life doesn’t have to be tough. All it takes is the Will to work together for the advancement of all.
Making Us Better - Not Taking Us Backwards
Will Rucker is an experienced leader with broad experience and deep values. He is a visionary who believes in the potential of our people and the importance of our past. In all ways, he strives for excellence but, most importantly, he strives to impact the lives of others in ways that support the greater good. That is why Will Rucker has chosen to run for Nevada State Assembly District 13 and why he is asking for your vote.
Reverend Will Rucker is married, lives in Centennial Hills, enjoys gardening, reading, the performing arts, exercise, and being in nature with his family, including his three small dogs.
Respected by Community Leaders
Will is fighting to create a better future for all of Nevada’s hardworking families. With his experience, Will knows how to create a more stable and productive workforce by helping families who were impacted by Covid-19. Will is leading the way for a stronger Nevada.
-Connie Munk
Will has a unique and honest approach to leadership that is centered in community engagement and compassion. He is a big-picture thinker who knows how to make Nevada stronger for all people. Will’s commitment to real change in our community is above all his strengths and will make Nevada a better place.
-Jose Melendrez
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