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 “#AskJAXTDY | Does it matter that an FDOT secretary doesn’t attend JTA meetings?”
A JTA electric bus.
February 2, 2024

#AskJAXTDY | Does it matter that an FDOT secretary doesn’t attend JTA meetings?

An FDOT secretary sits on the JTA board but has not attended JTA meetings since 2018. A Jacksonville Today reader…

Featured image for “DeSantis is sending Florida State Guard to southern border”
Gov. Ron DeSantis announces the Florida State Guard will be deployed to the U,S, border with Mexico during an appearance in Jacksonville on Feb. 1, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
February 1, 2024

DeSantis is sending Florida State Guard to southern border

In an appearance in Jacksonville, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state will send the Florida State Guard to Texas to…

Featured image for “Graduation rates hit record highs across First Coast”
The late Mary Ella Sams, left, helps Akira Roberson put on her graduation gown on May 23, 2023. Roberson was among 7.052 Duval County Public Schools students who graduated in the 2022-23 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 24, 2024

Graduation rates hit record highs across First Coast

In Duval County, 87.2% of students graduated in the 2022-23 academic year, the highest percentage in a nonpandemic year.…

Featured image for “Fort Mose begins reconstruction of 18th century community”
Fort Mose State Park is the site of the first free African community in what is now the United States. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 19, 2024

Fort Mose begins reconstruction of 18th century community

More than 100 people gathered Friday to break ground on a reconstruction of Fort Mose, the first free African settlement…

Featured image for “Spring Park and Englewood communities seek clarity on school renovations”
Englewood Elementary Principal Hope Tepper speaks with parents during a working group meeting Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, inside the media center at Spring Park Elementary. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 17, 2024

Spring Park and Englewood communities seek clarity on school renovations

Some parents remain concerned about the size of the rebuilt Englewood and Spring Park elementary schools as well as who…

Featured image for “‘Tomorrow’s Leaders’ highlight reunited MLK breakfast”
Emerly Reed won the Tomorrow's Leaders middle school essay contest. Kemal Gasper, vice president of community engagement for VyStar Credit Union, presented Emerly with a trophy for winning the competition during the 37th annual Martin Luther King breakfast at the Prime Osborn Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 12, 2024

‘Tomorrow’s Leaders’ highlight reunited MLK breakfast

Three Jacksonville girls shared their belief that the power of words can evoke peace during the 37th Annual Martin Luther…

Featured image for “Dollar General, site of race-motivated mass shooting, will reopen Friday”
A memorial to Anolt (AJ) Laguerre Jr. stands in front of the Dollar General on Kings Road in Jacksonville's Grand Park community. Laguerre, 19, was one of three people killed by a white supremacist in August 2023. He was an employee at the store. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 11, 2024

Dollar General, site of race-motivated mass shooting, will reopen Friday

On Friday, the same morning when Jacksonville leaders will celebrate unity with their Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Downtown, the…

Featured image for “St. Augustine and Amelia Island vie for state’s Black history museum”
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
January 10, 2024

St. Augustine and Amelia Island vie for state’s Black history museum

An eight-member task force will meet Friday as it seeks to select a location for the Florida Museum of Black…

Featured image for “Public gets a chance to review proposed Duval textbooks”
January 9, 2024

Public gets a chance to review proposed Duval textbooks

The School Board voted to buy new social studies and science textbooks, starting a 30-day review period for parents and…

Featured image for “Soccer programs kick off season of giving in Holiday Cup”
Nease midfielder Austin Mills is introduced prior to the 2023 Holiday Cup. Nease High School hosted the third annual Holiday Cup, a four-team doubleheader aimed at raising dollars and donations for charities in Northeast Florida. (Will Borwn, Official Florida FC
December 28, 2023

Soccer programs kick off season of giving in Holiday Cup

The Nease, Creekside, Mandarin and Bishop Kenny soccer teams raised more than $2,500 in this year’s Holiday Cup for Ronald…

Featured image for “Confederate monument removed, but debate persists”
The statue of a mother and child honoring "The Women of our Southland 1861-1865" hangs from a crane Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, after its removal from a monument in Springfield Park. | Dan Scanlan, WJCT News 89.9
December 27, 2023

Confederate monument removed, but debate persists

In an interview with Jacksonville Today, Mayor Donna Deegan said she hopes the monument’s removal is just one step in…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville 2023 in 23 images”
The Jaguars overcame a 27-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30 in the AFC wild card playoffs on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 21, 2023

PHOTO ESSAY | Jacksonville 2023 in 23 images

Jacksonville Today reporter Will Brown shares 23 of his favorite images from 2023.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville civil rights patriarch Lloyd Pearson dies at 102”
Jacksonville civil rights icon Lloyd Pearson reflected on his 102 years during a December 6, 2023 conversation with Jacksonville Today.
December 18, 2023

Jacksonville civil rights patriarch Lloyd Pearson dies at 102

Lloyd Pearson Jr., the grand old man of Jacksonville’s civil rights struggle, died Sunday afternoon. He was 102.…

Featured image for “Housing planned alongside Rosa Parks Transit Station in Downtown Jax”
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority board is discussing a mixed-use development next to the Rosa Parks Skyway station. | Jacksonville Transportation Authority
December 14, 2023

Housing planned alongside Rosa Parks Transit Station in Downtown Jax

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is discussing a development combining housing, retail and a grocery store.…

Featured image for “New grades set baseline for schools; St. Johns ranks 2nd in Florida”
December 13, 2023

New grades set baseline for schools; St. Johns ranks 2nd in Florida

Though the two scores are not apples-to-apples comparisons, all five Northeast Florida school districts earned the same grade they had…

Featured image for “New soccer club reveals its crest and name: Sporting Jax”
Ricky Caplan, Becky Burleigh, Fred Taylor and Tim Tebow are part of the group that aims to bring women's and men's professional soccer to Northeast Florida. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 12, 2023

New soccer club reveals its crest and name: Sporting Jax

Sporting Club Jacksonville is preparing to play in the United Soccer League later this decade. The location of its stadium…

Featured image for “Teamsters rally in Jacksonville in negotiations with Anheuser-Busch”
Sean O'Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, addresses members outside an Anheuser-Busch facility in Jacksonville. More than 400 Teamsters work at the Jacksonville brewery. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 8, 2023

Teamsters rally in Jacksonville in negotiations with Anheuser-Busch

More than 100 people attended a Teamsters rally organized ahead of the union’s negotiations with Anheuser-Busch InBev.…

Featured image for “Families in Dollar General massacre sue retailer and shooter’s parents”
Quan Laguerre, left, and Anolt Laguerre Sr. shared how Dollar General shooting victim Anolt "A.J." Laguerre Jr. was an optimistic and quiet young man who enjoyed video games. Laguerre, 19, was one of three people killed in the Dollar General massacre in Jacksonville's Grand Park neighborhood on Aug. 26, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 5, 2023

Families in Dollar General massacre sue retailer and shooter’s parents

Dollar General failed to provide adequate security to protect the public and customers in Jacksonville, the suit alleges.…

Featured image for “Jags’ cleats put Wounded Warrior Project in spotlight”
Jaguars offensive tackle Walker Little will wear cleats supporting the Wounded Warrior Project in the team's contest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football | Jacksonville Jaguars
December 4, 2023

Jags’ cleats put Wounded Warrior Project in spotlight

Jacksonville Jaguars players Walker Little and Seth Jones will wear cleats featuring Wounded Warrior Project during Monday Night Football.…

Featured image for “1 Foxy Lady: Springfield eatery earns first Blue Zones approval”
The menu at One Foxy Lady Cafe features a vegan sandwich, breakfast gyro, grits and vegan sausage combination as well as an anti-inflammatory drink. The dishes were created by Jacksonville native Shandon Benjamin Fox. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 29, 2023

1 Foxy Lady: Springfield eatery earns first Blue Zones approval

1 Foxy Lady is the first restaurant approved by Blue Zones Jacksonville, an organization that fosters healthy lifestyles in five…

Featured image for “Jacksonville family buys English soccer club Carlisle United”
The Piatak family attended a Carlisle United match against Derby County at Brunton Park earlier this year. From left are Tom II, Alice Piatak, Tom Piatak Sr., Patty Piatak, Jenna Piatak and her fiance, Nick DeMasi | Barbara Abbott, contributed by Piatak family
November 27, 2023

Jacksonville family buys English soccer club Carlisle United

Castle Sports Group has acquired Carlisle United Football Club, which competes in League One of the English Football League.…

Featured image for “Native Jaxson returns to open coffee shop near his roots”
Leo Baker celebrates the grand opening of Vantage Point Coffee Co. on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. His wife, Jennifer, left, and son Malachai, second from left, help cut the ribbon alongside the company's four employees. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 21, 2023

Native Jaxson returns to open coffee shop near his roots

Leo Baker, owner of Vantage Point Coffee Co., appreciates the chance to give back to the community where he grew…

Featured image for “Eartha’s Farm & Market brings agribusiness to Northwest Jacksonville”
Eartha's Farm and Market held its first farmer's market on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in the Moncrief Springs community. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 17, 2023

Eartha’s Farm & Market brings agribusiness to Northwest Jacksonville

The 10-acre urban farm in Moncrief Springs is expected to help fill a need for fresh fruit and vegetables on…

Featured image for “United Way invests $10 million for affordable housing”
Phyllis Brown reviews information about the North Riverside CDC Home Repair program during a community meeting April 20, 2023. Brown has lived in North Riverside for decades. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 15, 2023

United Way invests $10 million for affordable housing

The organization will devote part of the money to North Riverside and the Eastside, two predominantly Black neighborhoods that have…