Will Brown Reporter email

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 “A.L. Lewis fund expands grants as nonprofits face uncertainty”
Tim Johnson, the volunteer chairman of the A.L. Lewis Black Opportunity & Impact Fund, listens to Sharon Coon during a reception May 15, 2025, celebrating the 40 organizations that received funding from the fund this year. Coon is the founder of the Friends of Brentwood Library, a nonprofit that will use funding from the Lewis fund to sponsor a writer's festival this summer. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
1 day ago

A.L. Lewis fund expands grants as nonprofits face uncertainty

The A.L. Lewis Black Opportunity & Impact Fund will award two rounds of grants this year.…

Featured image for “Northeast Florida nonprofits get grants to address ‘heirs property’”
Jacksonville, seen here in the mid-1950s, has a higher-than-average rate of heirs' property. | State Archives of Florida/Johnson
May 16, 2025

Northeast Florida nonprofits get grants to address ‘heirs property’

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta allocated $5.9 million to 21 organizations in seven states to address heirs property.…

Featured image for “How one nonprofit helps Jacksonville scholars thrive”
Vivianna Rivera, left, and Netsury Lominy are two members of the Thrive Scholars Jacksonville high school class of 2025. The two announced their intentions to attend the University of Central Florida and the University of North Florida, respectively, during a celebration Tuesday, May 13, 2025, inside the Jessie Ball duPont Center. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 15, 2025

How one nonprofit helps Jacksonville scholars thrive

Thrive Scholars Jacksonville helps students from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds prepare for undergraduate life.…

Featured image for “Westside High students get early jump on medical careers”
Vivian Soto received her Certified Nursing Assistant pin during a ceremony Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Ascension St. Vincent Riverside. Soto says she plans to become a traveling nurse. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 8, 2025

Westside High students get early jump on medical careers

Students in the school’s medical magnet program will receive both diplomas and certifcation as nursing assistants.…

Featured image for “Jax Shrimp return to friendly confines of VyStar Park”
David Carpenter will serve as the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp manager for the 2025 season. Carpenter made more than 200 appearances in the majors as a pitcher for six different clubs. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 6, 2025

Jax Shrimp return to friendly confines of VyStar Park

The Jumbo Shrimp’s 21-12 record through six weeks is their best since becoming a Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins…

Featured image for “KIPP Bold City celebrates its first graduating class”
Kriste-ana Smith is the inaugural valedictorian at KIPP Bold City High School. She plans to attend Valdosta State University with plans to become a physical therapist. Kriste-ana was among the KIPP Bold City students who announced their post-secondary choices during a campus celebration Thursday, May 1, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 2, 2025

KIPP Bold City celebrates its first graduating class

KIPP Bold City High School opened in 2021. The Westside charter celebrated its first graduating class during a May 1…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Journey supports READ USA after federal cuts”
READ USA, a Jacksonville-based literacy nonprofit, announced April 22, 2024, that students who participated in its reading programs increased their reading accuracy, reading comprehension and oral reading skills. From left are School Board member April Carney; Jacksonville Heights Elementary School teacher Tracey Anglin; READ USA CEO Rob Kelly; Giovanni Watts; Tearica Watts; READ USA tutor Chyna Toban; and School Board member Warren Jones. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 2, 2025

Jacksonville Journey supports READ USA after federal cuts

The Jacksonville Journey Forward board will allocate $30,000 to READ USA to help the nonprofit continue its services.…

Featured image for “JAXPORT says it’s too early to judge the effect of tariffs”
Jacksonville is Florida's largest container port. The Blount Island Marine Terminal, pictured in October 2021, is undergoing more than $70 million in investment to help the port process as many as 2.3 million containers on an annual basis. | Photo by Will Brown
April 28, 2025

JAXPORT says it’s too early to judge the effect of tariffs

No shippers have canceled at JaxPort since the Trump administration announced 10% across-the-board tariffs.…

Featured image for “UF Health reaches agreement with UnitedHealthcare”
UF Health's Brentwood facility. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 22, 2025

UF Health reaches agreement with UnitedHealthcare

UF Health announces people with employer-sponsored commercial plans as well as Medicaid are in network under the agreement with UnitedHealthcare.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | How does Jacksonville’s immigration ordinance work?”
Andrea Reyes is a Jacksonville immigration attorney who expects a local ordinance that can send undocumented immigrants to jail for up to 60 days will be challenged in court. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 17, 2025

#AskJAXTDY | How does Jacksonville’s immigration ordinance work?

Jacksonville Today reader Susan A. wants to know whether police can use the new local immigration law to stop anyone…

Featured image for “4 Duval teachers honored for career excellence”
Nicola Gibson, and English Language Arts educator at Annie R. Morgan Elementary, is one of four Duval County educators who received the 2025 Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 15, 2025

4 Duval teachers honored for career excellence

The teachers were surprised Tuesday with the Gladys Prior Award for Career Teaching Excellence.…

Featured image for “How Jax Journey Forward strives to reduce crime”
Jacksonville City Hall
April 15, 2025

How Jax Journey Forward strives to reduce crime

Some Jaxsons think the Jacksonville Journey Forward will lower crime and eradicate long-standing disparties.…

Featured image for “City launches kids’ Minecraft challenge to help plan Jacksonville’s riverfront”
James Weldon Johnson Park has been digitized as part of a "New Jax City" world that was created in Minecraft Education to spur Jacksonville students to learn about coding and urban planning. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 14, 2025

City launches kids’ Minecraft challenge to help plan Jacksonville’s riverfront

The three-week New Jax City challenge invites second-graders through college sophomores to design Jacksonville’s riverfront in Minecraft.…

Featured image for “How OysterFest restores Trout and Ribault rivers”
Oysters could be a key to revitalizing and restoring the Trout River. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 10, 2025

How OysterFest restores Trout and Ribault rivers

OysterFest is a community festival spotlighting an oft-neglected tributary of the St. Johns River.…

Featured image for “NIH cutbacks stifle research at Florida’s universities”
Florida A&M University is Florida's only public historically Black university. | Alejandro Santiago, WFSU Public Media
April 9, 2025

NIH cutbacks stifle research at Florida’s universities

Florida A&M, the state’s only public historically Black university, will lose funding for cancer research.…

Featured image for “UF Health Flagler settles 8-month stalemate with Aetna”
April 1, 2025

UF Health Flagler settles 8-month stalemate with Aetna

UF Health Flagler announced it will be back in network with Aetna, meaning lower costs for patients.…

Featured image for “American Beach residents want Nassau County to ban beach driving”
American Beach residents say beach driving could harm loggerhead and green sea turtles. Residents plan to sue to block driving on the beach. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 1, 2025

American Beach residents want Nassau County to ban beach driving

Residents say beach driving puts wildlife at risk and makes it harder for dunes to recover from storms.…

Featured image for “Brentwood residents decry treatment by City Hall”
Robert Flornoy is a Northwest Jacksonville resident who says the city of Jacksonville disenfranchised residents by turning a proposed liquor store into a small business center, against the wishes of Brentwood residents. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 28, 2025

Brentwood residents decry treatment by City Hall

Residents say the city has a history of breaking promises and ignoring wishes in the Brentwood neighborhood.…

Featured image for “Match Day 2025: Local med schools fill doctor shortages”
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine students celebrate the announcement of where they will be matched for their medical residencies. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 21, 2025

Match Day 2025: Local med schools fill doctor shortages

Graduates in Jacksonville are moving on to residencies and might eventually plug a need for doctors in Florida.…

Featured image for “Sporting Jax hires director of soccer as club’s kickoff nears”
Mark Warburton was announced as director of soccer for Sporting Club Jacksonville on Thursday, March 20, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 20, 2025

Sporting Jax hires director of soccer as club’s kickoff nears

Mark Warburton comes to Jacksonville’s new soccer club after an accomplished career in the United Kingdom.…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Scenes from the greens at the 51st Players Championship”
J.J. Spaun hits his approach at No. 18 within 30 feet of the hole during the final round of The Players Championship on Sunday, March 16, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 16, 2025

PHOTO ESSAY | Scenes from the greens at the 51st Players Championship

Experience The Players through the eyes of Jacksonville Today’s Will Brown.…

Featured image for “PGA Tour’s presence in St. Johns County viewed as stabilizing presence amid LIV Golf negotiations”
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan addresses reporters during his annual press conference ahead of 2025 Players Championship on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 11, 2025

PGA Tour’s presence in St. Johns County viewed as stabilizing presence amid LIV Golf negotiations

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan addressed the future of men’s professional golf on Tuesday before The Players Championship.…

Featured image for “The Players Championship 2025: 9 things to know before you go”
The 18th hole at The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is one of the most challenging on the course. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
March 7, 2025

The Players Championship 2025: 9 things to know before you go

The Players Championship tees off next week at The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.…

Featured image for “Union Terminal Warehouse opens to fanfare on Jacksonville’s Eastside”
Columbia Ventures Development Manager Ryan Akin says more than 350,000 work hours went into renovating the Union Terminal Warehouse. The 330,000-square-foot building was repurposed as part of a $72 million renovation. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 6, 2025

Union Terminal Warehouse opens to fanfare on Jacksonville’s Eastside

The 112-year-old warehouse has been reborn as a mixed-use space combining businesses and mixed-income residences.…