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 “‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ highlights Jacksonville’s past and promise”
Members of the Lift Every Voice and Sing Children’s Choir as well as The Ritz Voices are captured moments before they sing Lift Every Voice and Sing as part of a 125th anniversary celebration for the song inside The Bethel Church on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
February 13, 2025

‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ highlights Jacksonville’s past and promise

On its 125th anniversary, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” is being celebrated with five days of events and programming.…

Featured image for “JAXPORT leaders project confidence amid tariff, Panama Canal uncertainty”
JAXPORT Chief Commercial Officer Robert Peek (left) chats with port CEO Eric Green during the 2025 State of the Port on Feb. 6, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
February 6, 2025

JAXPORT leaders project confidence amid tariff, Panama Canal uncertainty

Business diversity and investments in infrastructure are keeping officials optimistic at JAXPORT, Florida’s largest port by container volume.…

Featured image for “‘Lift Every Voice’: February festival will celebrate Black National Anthem written in Jacksonville”
The title of the song written by James Weldon Johnson and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, stand tall on one end of the park honoring the men at their birthplace in Jacksonville's historic LaVilla community. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
January 30, 2025

‘Lift Every Voice’: February festival will celebrate Black National Anthem written in Jacksonville

Perhaps the most famous song ever written in Jacksonville was a call to action when it was written. Sharon Coon…

Featured image for “Play ball! J.P. Small Park reopens ahead of baseball season”
L.J. Hightower squares up a baseball during a baseball clinic organized by Jacksonville-based Walk Off Charities on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, inside Henry L. Aaron Field at J.P. Small Park. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 24, 2025

Play ball! J.P. Small Park reopens ahead of baseball season

The historic J.P. Small Park — home to Hank Aaron Field — reopened after a $9.5 million renovation.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville reflections on King’s legacy, Trump’s inauguration”
Tyson Jones, 11, won the 2025 VyStar Tomorrow's Leaders Elementary School Essay contest. Tyson, a fifth-grader at Biscayne Elementary Leadership Academy, says that with time, kindness and confidence people can achieve anything. Tyson was awarded a check by VyStar Credit Union's Kemal Gasper and Michelle D. Hare on Friday, January 17, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 20, 2025

Jacksonville reflections on King’s legacy, Trump’s inauguration

Local people reflect on the simultaneous MLK Day holiday and inauguration of President Donald Trump.…

Featured image for “Duval students earned diplomas at record rate in 2024”
Courtney Brown is a senior flag football player at Stanton College Prep who was named 'most athletic' by her peers in the senior class. She plays flag football and soccer for the Blue Devils. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 10, 2025

Duval students earned diplomas at record rate in 2024

Duval County Public Schools saw its graduation rate spike to a record high of 90.9% last year.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Jaguars fire Head Coach Doug Pederson”
January 6, 2025

Jacksonville Jaguars fire Head Coach Doug Pederson

Updated at 4:12 p.m. Monday. The Jacksonville Jaguars have fired Head Coach Doug Pederson after a disappointing 4-13 season. Owner…

Featured image for “Church shares holiday spirit with Moncrief community”
Shacura Pray high-fives her daughter Symphoni Pollard, while her son, Shamar Pollard, rides his first bicycle. Shamar received the bike as part of a holiday toy drive Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024, sponsored by Bethsaida Temple Ministries in the heart of Jacksonville's Moncrief community. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 27, 2024

Church shares holiday spirit with Moncrief community

A Christmas Eve toy drive at Bethsaida Temple Ministries was the biggest yet for the church in Moncrief.…

Featured image for “Q&A | Jax native leads Eastside nonprofit focused on community revitalization”
Nigelle Kohn is the executive director of Florida Avenue Main Street, a new nonprofit meant to connect residents, business owners and property owners on the Eastside with the wider Jacksonville community. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 23, 2024

Q&A | Jax native leads Eastside nonprofit focused on community revitalization

Florida Avenue Main Street’s inaugural Executive Director Nigelle Kohn grew up in Washington Estates on the city’s Northside.…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville 2024 in 24 images”
Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn walks out of the Bryan Simpson United States courthouse in Downtown Jacksonville after being convicted of conspiracy and wire fraud on March 15, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 22, 2024

PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville 2024 in 24 images

Jacksonville Today’s Will Brown chose his favorite 24 images he captured in 2024.…

Featured image for “PGA Tour launches search to fill new CEO position”
Scottie Scheffler's group putts on the 17th green at The Players Championship last March. | Noah Nertz, Jacksonville Today
December 19, 2024

PGA Tour launches search to fill new CEO position

The PGA Tour, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, hopes to bring new perspectives into the organization.…

Featured image for “Raines shut out in football final”
The Raines Vikings on the field after their 41-0 loss to Miami Northwestern in the FHSAA Class 3A state championship on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. The Vikings ended their season with a 13-1 record. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 15, 2024

Raines shut out in football final

Miami Northwestern beat the Vikings 41-0 to end Raines’ quest for a fourth state football championship in school history.…

Featured image for “Raines High at 60: A season of success on the football field and off ”
Raines defenders Micah Merritt (5), Jyon Simon (9) and Geterius Brown (0) are ready for action against St. Johns Creekside. Raines defeated Creekside 44-14 on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. Raines scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to remain undefeated. (Photo by Will Brown)
December 12, 2024

Raines High at 60: A season of success on the football field and off 

Raines High School heads to the state football championship, as the predominantly Black Northwest Jacksonville school also celebrates historically good…

Featured image for “First Coast Hispanic chamber to recognize business leaders”
The First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will celebrate six individuals and businesses who have exhibited an outstanding job in their industries and in the community. | First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
December 11, 2024

First Coast Hispanic chamber to recognize business leaders

The chamber will celebrate Hispanic people and businesses who are part of a rapidly growing community in the region.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville volunteers welcome Gazan boy receiving medical treatment after bombing”
Mohammed Imad, 6, is a Gazan boy who is in Jacksonville to receive treatment for a skull fracture sustained when his home was bombed. Nearly 50 people welcomed Mohammed and his mother at Jacksonville International Airport on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 4, 2024

Jacksonville volunteers welcome Gazan boy receiving medical treatment after bombing

In addition to Tuesday’s arrival in Jacksonville, the nonprofit HEAL Palestine has brought Gazan children to Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco,…

Featured image for “Sporting Jax to merge with area’s largest youth soccer club”
Steven Mail is the president of Florida Elite Soccer Club. Florida Elite, one of the largest youth soccer organizations in Florida, announced it will merge with Sporting Jax in 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 26, 2024

Sporting Jax to merge with area’s largest youth soccer club

Florida Elite Soccer Academy and Sporting Jax announced the two organizations will merge in 2025.…

Featured image for “904Ward CEO announces her departure”
Kim Allen, CEO of 904Ward, and Jacksonville City Council member Ju'Coby Pittman organized a soil collection ceremony on Aug. 25, 2024, to remember the victims of a racist rampage in Jacksonville's Grand Park neighborhood. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 25, 2024

904Ward CEO announces her departure

In a statement shared with donors Monday, 904Ward CEO Kimberly Allen said she will move to Houston for another opportunity.…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | What happens after Jacksonville flushes”
A JEA wastewater treatment plant on Jacksonville's Eastside. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 21, 2024

PHOTO ESSAY | What happens after Jacksonville flushes

In Jacksonville, flushing the toilet is the beginning of a journey to the St. Johns River. Before it becomes one…

Featured image for “UNF men’s soccer returns to NCAA Tournament”
UNF men's soccer won the ASUN Tournament title with a 4-3 win over Central Arkansas on penalty kicks. | Submitted, UNF Athletics
November 18, 2024

UNF men’s soccer returns to NCAA Tournament

The UNF Ospreys beat Central Arkansas Saturday night to earn their first NCAA Tournament berth in nine years.…

Featured image for “Florida’s Hispanic voters turned out for Donald Trump”
Monica Hernandez has served as president of the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for the last six years. | Will Brown
November 13, 2024

Florida’s Hispanic voters turned out for Donald Trump

Florida was the only state where a majority of Hispanic voters supported President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville honors vast military community with annual Veterans Day Parade”
Jacksonville honored its more than 78,000 veterans with its annual Veteran's Day parade on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 11, 2024

Jacksonville honors vast military community with annual Veterans Day Parade

Scenes from Jacksonville’s Veterans’ Day Parade through Downtown…

Featured image for “Republicans roar as Duval racks up conservative victories”
Charles Kennedy is a Jacksonville resident who says the conversation around parental rights in Florida activated his engagement in public policy. This year was the second time he campaigned in support of state Rep. Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville Beach. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 5, 2024

Republicans roar as Duval racks up conservative victories

Despite a lower than expected voter turnout in Duval County, Republicans decisively won local and statewide races.…

Featured image for “Duval elections leaders hope inactive voters will participate”
A sign on the Jacksonville Jaguars' field on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, encourages Duval County residents to vote. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 31, 2024

Duval elections leaders hope inactive voters will participate

Some 85,793 voters could be removed from Duval’s voter rolls if they do not vote in this year’s general election…

Featured image for “JEA begins the process of raising rates”
A JEA lineman. | JEA
October 28, 2024

JEA begins the process of raising rates

JEA officials are expected to recommend a 7% increase in residential rates as soon as next spring.…