Will Brown

Will Brown is a Report for America corps member focusing on race, poverty and inequality for Jacksonville Today.

He previously reported for the Jacksonville Business Journal. And before that, he spent more than a decade as a sports reporter at The St. Augustine Record, Victoria (Texas) Advocate and the Tallahassee Democrat.

Over his 15-year career, Brown has won awards for breaking news, social media and photography. And in 2020, he contributed photographs for WFSU News/Health News Florida’s national Murrow Award-winning series “Committed: How and Why Children Became the Fastest Growing Group Under Florida’s Baker Act.”

Brown has an undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University and a master’s from the University of South Florida. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and soccer. He lives in Clay County with his wife and son.

Featured image for “DeSantis signs credit union bill in Jacksonville”
Gov. Ron DeSantis came to Jacksonville to sign a bill allowing the state to deposit money in credit unions. | News4Jax
May 2, 2024

DeSantis signs credit union bill in Jacksonville

Jacksonville’s financial services industry could benefit from a bill that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Thursday at VyStar Credit Union headquarters.…

Featured image for “Kamala Harris assails Florida abortion law in Jacksonville”
Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville to decry Florida's abortion laws that outlaw the procedure six weeks after conception on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 1, 2024

Kamala Harris assails Florida abortion law in Jacksonville

The vice president said the Heatbeat Protection Act, which took effect Wednesday, stripped 4 million women of reproductive freedom.…

Featured image for “New Town residents question Duval Schools on proposed closures and teacher cuts”
Duval County School Board Chair Darryl Willie and interim Superintendent Dana Kriznar attend a community forum hosted by the Jacksonville NAACP at the Beaver Street Enterprise Center in New Town Tuesday. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 30, 2024

New Town residents question Duval Schools on proposed closures and teacher cuts

The Duval School District may need to eliminate up to 700 staff positions.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville welcomes 40 new US citizens”
More than 700 people watched as 40 people became American citizens during a naturalization ceremony Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at First Coast High School. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 30, 2024

Jacksonville welcomes 40 new US citizens

More than 700 people watched as 40 people became American citizens during a naturalization ceremony at First Coast High School.…

Featured image for “Duval school district rebuffs pressure to end relationship with Jacksonville Public Library”
The Dallas Graham Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library is often filled with children from nearby Durkeeville, Grand Park and Moncrief Springs in the afternoon following the end of the school day. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 30, 2024

Duval school district rebuffs pressure to end relationship with Jacksonville Public Library

Amid the national “book ban” conversation, Duval school officials defended a longstanding connection with the Jacksonville Public Library.…

Featured image for “Duval Schools apologizes for errors over arrested teacher”
April 26, 2024

Duval Schools apologizes for errors over arrested teacher

The district acknowledged that a teacher at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts should have been removed his classroom immediately.…

Featured image for “Former Douglas Anderson teacher pleads guilty”
Former Douglas Anderson School of the Arts teacher Jeffrey Clayton pleaded guilty to four counts on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 24, 2024

Former Douglas Anderson teacher pleads guilty

Jeffrey Clayton admitted to touching a teenage student and uttering romantic feelings about her.…

Featured image for “Nonprofit may hold key to Duval literacy gaps”
READ USA Chief Executive Rob Kelly says tutoring by the literacy nonprofit has improved reading comprehension and literacy among students at seven Duval County public schools. Interim Superintendent Dana Kriznar, left, and School Board members Warren Jones and April Carney joined him at a news conference Monday, April 22, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 23, 2024

Nonprofit may hold key to Duval literacy gaps

Students have improved their reading accuracy and comprehension after tutoring from READ USA, a literacy group based in Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “Six semifinalists picked for Duval Schools superintendent”
The Duval County Public Schools administration building, with a bronze statue of children reading in front of it. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
April 23, 2024

Six semifinalists picked for Duval Schools superintendent

Five men and one woman are semifinalists for superintendent of Duval County Public Schools.…

Featured image for “St. Augustine in driver’s seat for Florida Museum of Black History”
St. Johns County leaders have identified a West Augustine site, near the former location of Florida Memorial College, as a potential home for a Florida Museum of Black History. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 19, 2024

St. Augustine in driver’s seat for Florida Museum of Black History

The Florida Museum of Black History Task Force named St. Augustine as one of its top three locations to house…

Featured image for “Duval parents plead to keep their schools open”
Longtime Atlantic Beach resident Carolyn Zisser brought Diane Ravitch's book "Slaying Goliath" with her to address the Duval County School Board on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Zisser was among nearly a dozen people who implored the board to keep Atlantic Beach Elementary open. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 16, 2024

Duval parents plead to keep their schools open

Nearly a dozen parents spoke to the School Board on Tuesday, but school officials stressed again that no decisions are…

Featured image for “Education chief visits Raines to tout Bright Futures scholarships”
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. spoke with freshmen and sophomores at Raines High School on Friday, April 12, 2024, about opportunities through the state's Bright Futures Scholarship Program. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 15, 2024

Education chief visits Raines to tout Bright Futures scholarships

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. wants to ensure that students know their options for attending college.…

Featured image for “Cummer and The Links bring arts to Northwest Jax students”
Tiger Academy students produced drawings and other artworks this year following a November 2023 field trip to The Cmmer Museum of Art & Gardens in November 2023. | Submitted
April 12, 2024

Cummer and The Links bring arts to Northwest Jax students

Art can help people overcome emotions they do not realize are present. That was one of the motivations of staff…

Featured image for “Muslims in Jacksonville celebrate end of Ramadan”
Imam Bilal Malik leads an Eid al-Fitr prayer. An estimated 7,000 people gathered inside Dream Finders Homes Flex Field at Daily’s Place for an Eid al-Fitr celebration on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 10, 2024

Muslims in Jacksonville celebrate end of Ramadan

More than 7,000 people gathered inside the Dream Finders Homes Flex Field at Daily’s Place for an Eid al-Fitr celebration.…

Featured image for “JTA proving to be an alternative to school buses”
A JTA electric bus.
April 8, 2024

JTA proving to be an alternative to school buses

The My Ride to School program has exceeded expections as Duval Schools wrestles with transportation costs.…

Featured image for “A.L. Lewis fund sparks Black philanthropy with first grants”
Rebecca Williams is the CEO of Fruit of Barren Trees Pipeline Inc. The nonprofit strives to erect affordable housing in the Moncrief Springs community in Northwest Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 4, 2024

A.L. Lewis fund sparks Black philanthropy with first grants

The A.L. Lewis Black Opportunity & Impact fund announced grants toward health, education and economic development in predominantly Black neighborhoods.…

Featured image for “Duval consolidates 2 elementary schools, but gives parents extra year to prepare”
R.V. Daniels has served students in the Grand Park neighborhood since 1964. The Duval County Public Schools board moved to close the school following the 2024-25 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 2, 2024

Duval consolidates 2 elementary schools, but gives parents extra year to prepare

R.V. Daniels Elementary in Northwest Jacksonville will be consolidated with R.L. Brown Gifted and Talented Academy after the 2024-25 school…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville Alumnae Chapter welcomes first new Deltas in a decade”
March 26, 2024

PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville Alumnae Chapter welcomes first new Deltas in a decade

After 10 years, the Jacksonville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta welcomed new members in front of a cross section…

Featured image for “DeSantis comes to Jacksonville to sign social media limits on kids”
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed shows HB 3, the social media restrictions he signed Monday, March 25, 2024, at Cornerstone Classical Academy in Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 25, 2024

DeSantis comes to Jacksonville to sign social media limits on kids

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB3 at Cornerstone Classical Academy, banning children younger than 14 from having social media accounts.…

Featured image for “$20k for homebuyers up for grabs under Ameris redlining settlement ”
Ameris Bank mortgage officer Tamonica Mike outlines the Ameris Choice program in front of more than 75 people inside Somerset Academy in the Highlands community during a March 14, 2024 community meeting. Ameris Bank introduced the Ameris Choice program in January as part of a consent order the bank agreed to with the U.S. Department of Justice following the latter's acusation the bank redlined in Black and Hispanic communities in Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 21, 2024

$20k for homebuyers up for grabs under Ameris redlining settlement 

More than 300 Jacksonville area families are going to receive $20,000 apiece as part of a regional bank’s settlement with…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Haitians call for increased attention on their homeland”
Members of Jacksonville's Haitian diaspora called on Northeast Florida Republican congressmen Aaron Bean and John Rutherford to craft legislation that was stem the exportation of weapons to Haiti. From left: Booz Paul, Roudy Duviver, Pologne Moise, Cheryl McCall, Pierre Paul, Sintalie Jean, Ceasar Paul-Murray and Lyned Jana. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 19, 2024

Jacksonville Haitians call for increased attention on their homeland

The Coalition of the Haitian Community in Jacksonville made pleas for state and federal help at a rally Tuesday in…

Featured image for “Community invests in Westside students with new football field”
The Jaguars Foundation, Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation, Carlton Construction and LISC Jacksonville combined to convert the infield of KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools into a football field and track that might become a community beacon. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 13, 2024

Community invests in Westside students with new football field

A new football field and track at KIPP Jacksonville could help students reach for their dreams.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville devotes $2 million to help homebuyers with down payments”
City Council member Ju'Coby Pittman applauds a $2 million pilot program that will provide down payment assistance for home buyers in Duval County on Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Jacksonville's Talleyrand neighborhood. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 7, 2024

Jacksonville devotes $2 million to help homebuyers with down payments

The city will provide up to $25,000 in down payment assistance to qualified first-time homebuyers. …

Featured image for “Edward Waters president battles old HBCU perceptions as university grows”
Edward Waters University has been located in Jacksonville's New Town neighborhood since 1904. The university has called Jacksonville home since 1982. | Ben Brown, Special to Jacksonville Today
March 4, 2024

Edward Waters president battles old HBCU perceptions as university grows

For Faison, outdated impressions of Edward Waters are especially irksome as he leads the university through historic firsts.…