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 “Dollar General shooting aligns with anniversary of racist violence of Ax Handle Saturday”
Paula Findlay was among the hundreds who attended a prayer vigil on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023 following a mass shooting fueled by racial animus toward Black people at a Dollar General in the Grand Park neighborhood. Findlay is a lifelong Jaxon who is the principal at Arlington Elementary. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 28, 2023

Dollar General shooting aligns with anniversary of racist violence of Ax Handle Saturday

Sunday’s vigils for the racially motivated shooting occurred on the 63rd anniversary of Ax Handle Saturday.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville labor leaders, March on Washington attendee reflect, 60 years on”
Sandra Thompson is one of the few Jaxons who attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August 1963. She was a senior at Florida A&M University at the time who was active in the NAACP and viewed attending the march the next step in her activism. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 27, 2023

Jacksonville labor leaders, March on Washington attendee reflect, 60 years on

Jacksonville’s own A. Philip Randolph’s activism and mastery of mobilization helped make the March on Washington a reality.…

Featured image for “William may need a form for his teacher to call him Bill”
A parent walks his child into orientation at R.V. Daniels Elementary School in Jacksonville on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 16, 2023

William may need a form for his teacher to call him Bill

A new Florida law requires a parent’s permission for students to use alternative names and pronouns. In some districts, that…

Featured image for “Jax nonprofits ensure students have the means to succeed”
Alethea Butler has worked with Jennifer Smith, right, at The Giving Closet Project this summer to ensure more children on Jacksonville's Northside have access to clothes that fit ahead of the 2023-24 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 11, 2023

Jax nonprofits ensure students have the means to succeed

A number of organizations are making sure students in poorer neighborhoods have the equipment and supplies they need to start…

Featured image for “1619 Project founder denounces Florida’s social studies standards”
Nikole Hannah-Jones is the founder of the 1619 Project and the founder of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at Howard University. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 10, 2023

1619 Project founder denounces Florida’s social studies standards

As school starts this week in Northeast Florida, Nikole Hannah-Jones says students are getting a whitewashed version of African American…

Featured image for “Jacksonville teacher who resigned over African American history standards is leading a charge to change them ”
R.L. Gundy is the pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield. He also taught at Ribault Middle School before resigning his position following the Florida Department of Education's social studies standards that were released on July 19, 2023. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 1, 2023

Jacksonville teacher who resigned over African American history standards is leading a charge to change them 

Teacher/pastor R.L. Gundy is leading a protest movement against the state’s new Black history standards.…

Featured image for “Disagreement blows up between Democratic Reps. Daniels and Nixon”
State Rep. Kimberly Daniels (D-Jacksonville) accused fellow Democrat Angie Nixon (D-Jacksonville) of defamation on July 27 after the two disagreed, to different degrees, with the Florida Department of Education's social studies standards for the 2023-24 academic year. | Will Brown
July 28, 2023

Disagreement blows up between Democratic Reps. Daniels and Nixon

Rep. Kimberly Daniels called a news conference to accuse Rep. Angie Nixon of defamation. Nixon called the discord “just pettiness.”…

Featured image for “On housing, homelessness and health care, Jax committee passes learnings to new Council ”
July 25, 2023

On housing, homelessness and health care, Jax committee passes learnings to new Council 

Jacksonville’s Critical Quality of Life Committee has presented its final report to guide policy for helping low-income people.…

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July 18, 2023

Jaguars open Miller Electric Center as training camp nears

The $120 million facility — with practice fields, team offices and medical operations — will host the Jacksonville Jaguars’ training…

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Rental increases are slowing in Jacksonville. | Ben Brown, Jacksonville Today)
July 13, 2023

Times-Union discrimination agreement holds national implications

HUD’s settlement with Gannett Co. over discriminatory ads has the potential to curtail violations in dozens of cities.…

Featured image for “A Jacksonville mother helped change the law for families of murdered children”
Patricia Ward's son, Curtis Williamson was killed in 1997 at 16 years old. In the quarter century since, she has championed for law enforcement to share more information about crime victims with the families of the deceased. That became reality when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Curtis' Law in May. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
July 4, 2023

A Jacksonville mother helped change the law for families of murdered children

A new Florida law is named after Curtis Williamson, whose 1997 death was ruled a homicide. Curtis’ mother fought to…

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June 28, 2023

Jax-based Swisher invests in Emerald Trail project

The tobacco manufacturer donated $500,000 to a 30-mile walking and biking pathway that will connect neighborhoods around Jacksonville’s urban core.…

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June 27, 2023

Black startup founders face venture capital headwinds

Venture capital is putting the highest priority in companies they have already invested in. Most of those are owned by…

Featured image for “Jacksonville civil rights activist Ben Frazier dies at 73”
June 25, 2023

Jacksonville civil rights activist Ben Frazier dies at 73

Ben Frazier, once a trailblazing journalist who became an advocate for racial justice, has died.…

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June 23, 2023

Teamsters demonstrate outside Jacksonville railroad accused of union busting

Workers claim Genesee & Wyoming fired 31 people less than two months after they unionized with the Brotherhood of Maintenance…

Featured image for “Jacksonville is starting line for ‘rolling protest’ aimed at Black voters ”
Daryl Jones, board chairman of the Transformative Justice Coalition, says the best way to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday is to advocate for the rights of others. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 19, 2023

Jacksonville is starting line for ‘rolling protest’ aimed at Black voters 

On Juneteenth, the celebration of Black people being belatedly notified of their rights, scores of people rallied against new Florida…

Featured image for “Jaguars vow to protect Eastside in stadium renovation”
Jacksonville Jaguars team President Mark Lamping outlines the team's plans to renovate TIAA Bank Field during a community meeting Monday, June 12, 2023. The Jaguars are proposing a $1.4 billion stadium renovation, with the price shared equally with the city of Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 12, 2023

Jaguars vow to protect Eastside in stadium renovation

The Jacksonville Jaguars are promising not to displace Eastside residents as the team embarks on a massive renovation of TIAA…

Featured image for “Jaguars plan community ‘huddles’ for Stadium of the Future project”
An illustration shows the Jacksonville Jaguars' proposed "Stadium of the Future." | Jacksonville Jaguars
June 9, 2023

Jaguars plan community ‘huddles’ for Stadium of the Future project

A series of town hall meetings will begin Monday to gauge the public’s reaction to plans for TIAA Bank Field.…

Featured image for “Proposal for city to buy Brentwood liquor store is withdrawn”
A proposed liquor store at the corner of Golfair Boulevard and Davis Street is less than 200 feet away from KIPP Voice Academy. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 6, 2023

Proposal for city to buy Brentwood liquor store is withdrawn

Legislation would have had the city buy the property using dollars earmarked for removing Confederate monuments.…

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May 31, 2023

‘This is the time to get ready’: Jacksonville prepares for hurricane season

The Atlantic hurricane season begins Thursday, and city leaders are warning everyone to prepare now. Know your evacuation zone; prepare…

Featured image for “‘You don’t see a lot of Black, female pilots.’ This Riverside graduate aims to be one.”
May 29, 2023

‘You don’t see a lot of Black, female pilots.’ This Riverside graduate aims to be one.

This Riverside High graduate plans to enroll in Jacksonville University’s School of Aviation.…

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May 26, 2023

UF researchers seek solutions for health disparities

The University of Florida health system is exploring ways to better engage Black adults in need of health care.…

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Duval County Superintendent Diana Greene reviews her notes during a May 2, 2023 emergency school board meeting where she announced her resignation. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 23, 2023

Superintendent Diana Greene ends trailblazing Duval career under scrutiny

The Duval superintendent’s tenure ends amid criticism from both the political left and right, but she also won bipartisan support…

Featured image for “Brentwood residents find new allies in fight against proposed liquor store”
May 16, 2023

Brentwood residents find new allies in fight against proposed liquor store

City Council member Al Ferraro said he will file legislation to buy the liquor store property so the business never…