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 “Jacksonville Journey Forward seeks $3 million budget for literacy, chronic absenteeism”
The school library at R.V. Daniels Elementary in February 2024. Duval County Public Schools closed the school at the end of hte 2025 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 6, 2025

Jacksonville Journey Forward seeks $3 million budget for literacy, chronic absenteeism

The Jacksonville Journey Forward board made budgetary suggestions for the 2025-26 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 during its monthly…

Featured image for “Q&A | New 904Ward CEO outlines her plans amid shifting DEI landscape”
Audrieanna Burgin was named CEO of racial equity nonprofit 904Ward in June 2025. | Submitted
June 3, 2025

Q&A | New 904Ward CEO outlines her plans amid shifting DEI landscape

Audrieanna Burgin discusses her journey, her hometown and how she envisions the organization moving forward.…

Featured image for “Jax Pride Month celebration altered amid drawbridge confusion”
More than 100 people participated in the Pride in our Freedoms Community Bridge Lighting on Sunday, June 1, 2025, along the Acosta Bridge in Downtown Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 2, 2025

Jax Pride Month celebration altered amid drawbridge confusion

Demonstrators planned a celebration on the bridge, but the drawbridge was raised just as they approached.…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville schools mark closures with smiles amid somber celebrations”
Vin'Tavia Gaines, right, reads the fifth grade address during a promotion ceremony at Susie Tolbert Elementary on Friday, May 23, 2025. She is joined by classmate Danielle Fenner. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 29, 2025

PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville schools mark closures with smiles amid somber celebrations

Jacksonville Today captured the final gatherings at five Duval County elementary schools that will close or consolidate after the 2025…

Featured image for “Eastside park rededicated as symbol of community commitment”
Patrick Edmond says his grandfather, William "Buster" Ford, was a man who brought light into dark places. During a rededication of Buster Ford Checkerboard Park on Thursday, May 22, 2025, Edmond said his grandfather had faith in God, faith in people and faith in community change. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 27, 2025

Eastside park rededicated as symbol of community commitment

Residents, community leaders, nonprofits and even the Jaguars Foundation helped restore Buster Ford Checkerboard Park.…

Featured image for “‘Honey Dripper Lady’ eager to bring smiles to VyStar Ballpark”
Alice Kimbrough has owned the Honey Dripper House since 2008. She is an Eastside native who started the business as a way to supplement her teaching income. It has grown big enough to form a partnership with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp baseball club. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 22, 2025

‘Honey Dripper Lady’ eager to bring smiles to VyStar Ballpark

The Jumbo Shrimp will pay homage to the Eastside treat by playing as the Honey Drippers this weekend.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville celebrates Florida’s Emancipation Day”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, right, listens to Toni Bingham, center, and Marlena Smalls, right sing during a rememberance of Florida's Emancipation Day on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 20, 2025

Jacksonville celebrates Florida’s Emancipation Day

Jacksonville’s Emancipation Day celebration came less than a week after the U.S. Supreme Court heard an argument for overturning birthright…

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
May 19, 2025

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.…