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 “Brentwood residents oppose liquor store opening across from school”
A proposed liquor store at the corner of Golfair Boulevard and Davis Street is less than 200 feet away from KIPP Voice Academy. When a zoning execption for the store was approved in 2020 the school had yet to be built. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 11, 2023

Brentwood residents oppose liquor store opening across from school

A liquor store that’s set to open across from the KIPP VOICE Academy has residents in Brentwood up in arms.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Edward Waters celebrates record-setting commencement”
May 8, 2023

Edward Waters celebrates record-setting commencement

Edward Waters University awarded master’s degrees last weekend for the first time in its 157-year history.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Duval Schools Superintendent Diana Greene decides to retire”
Diana Greene is the Duval County Superintendent. She met with reporters following an April 26, 2023 meeting related to the district obtaining outside legal counsel to review allegations of teacher misconduct at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 2, 2023

Duval Schools Superintendent Diana Greene decides to retire

Diana Greene’s tenure as superintendent of Duval County Public Schools will come to an end July 24. The School Board…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jax native believes affordable housing effort in Northwest will bear fruit”
Rebecca Williams is the founder and president of Fruit of Barren Trees, a neighborhood revitalization company that envisions $23 million in redevelopment for Moncrief and portions of Northwest Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 1, 2023

Jax native believes affordable housing effort in Northwest will bear fruit

Fruit of Barren Trees will acquire vacant lots in Northwest Jacksonville and develop them into homes that “bring dignity and…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Imaginations run wild at reopened Eastside park”
April 26, 2023

Imaginations run wild at reopened Eastside park

Flossie Brunson Eastside Park is named after longtime community activist Flossie Brunson. The renovation is believed to be the first…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr at Jacksonville Jaguars’ Flex Field”
An estimated 3,000 people attended an Eid al-Fitr inside the Daily’s Place Flex Field on Friday morning. The event brought Muslims together from multiple mosques in Northeast Florida to celebrate the end of Ramadan. The monthlong period of dawn-to-dusk fasting that is intended to bring Muslims closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate ended on Thursday. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 21, 2023

Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr at Jacksonville Jaguars’ Flex Field

Thousands flocked to Downtown Jacksonville as an expression of faith on Friday morning when an Eid al-Fitr celebration was held…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “City Council At-large Group 5: Environmental board member Charles Garrison vs. congressional staffer Chris Miller”
Charles Garrison, left, and Chris Miller, right, are candidates for City Council At-Large, Group 5 | Submitted by campaign
April 19, 2023

City Council At-large Group 5: Environmental board member Charles Garrison vs. congressional staffer Chris Miller

Republican Chris Miller and Democrat Charles Garrison are vying to be the next at-large member of the Jacksonville City Council.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Q&A | MaliVai Washington encourages students to ‘take advantage of your advantage’”
MaliVai Washington, right, has developed the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation from a tennis-only after-school program that served 25 students to a life and technical skills program that serves more than 200 students from Durkeeville, Grand Park and Moncrief. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 17, 2023

Q&A | MaliVai Washington encourages students to ‘take advantage of your advantage’

The largest real estate professional group in the country is recognizing former tennis star MaliVai Washington for his commitment to…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Bringing books to life: Nonprofit hopes to spur teenage literacy”
April 13, 2023

Bringing books to life: Nonprofit hopes to spur teenage literacy

Washington Cultural Arts and Services will hold “readers theaters” around Jacksonville as a way to promote reading.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “North Riverside program reviving neighborhood one home at a time”
Annie Mae Daniels has lived in her North Riverside home for more than 60 years. Her grandson, Zarian, lives with her. Funding from the North Riverside CDC Home Repair Program widened the doorways and allowed the home to be more wheelchair accessible. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 9, 2023

North Riverside program reviving neighborhood one home at a time

A $1.2 million program is aimed at helping North Riverside residents improve their home values in a predominantly Black neighborhood…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Duval wants 1,000 Black and brown male teachers; it’s having a hard time keeping the ones it has ”
Jorge Estevez and Eligio Calatayud are Spanish teachers at Mandarin High School. Education is their second career, Estevez, left, had a background in law enforcement and Calatayud, right, spent decades in the financial services industry. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
April 4, 2023

Duval wants 1,000 Black and brown male teachers; it’s having a hard time keeping the ones it has 

Duval’s is facing dual challenges of attracting and retaining its male teachers as it tries to diversify staff to reflect…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “More help coming for people with rent and utility troubles”
March 30, 2023

More help coming for people with rent and utility troubles

Jacksonville City Council this week provided $2 million in additional money for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “DeSantis spotlights civics education in Orange Park visit”
March 23, 2023

DeSantis spotlights civics education in Orange Park visit

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz awarded seven Clay County teachers $3,000 checks for completing a Civics Seal…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | March 2023 Duval Elections”
Connie Hodges, left, and Carter Jones, right, may have supported different candidates; but the two say they developed a good rapport and commonality as they campaigned for Joshua Hicks and Ron Salem outside Grace Church of Avondale. Jacksonville had less than 26 percent voter turnout for its 2023 Unitary election on March 21, 2023. A late surge allowed local voting to surpass the 24.5 percent voter turnout in 2019 municipal elections. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 21, 2023

PHOTO ESSAY | March 2023 Duval Elections

Voters share why they participated in the March 2023 Jacksonville elections, which had just 25.6% turnout.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “3 takeaways from the Jacksonville mayoral debate”
Jacksonville University hosted a mayoral debate between the seven candidates vying for election this spring. They were placed in alphabetical order: Omega Allen, LeAnna Cumber, Daniel Davis, Donna Deegan, Al Ferraro, Audrey Gibson and Frank Keasler. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
March 9, 2023

3 takeaways from the Jacksonville mayoral debate

Here’s what the candidates had to say about infrastructure needs, their Downtown plan, and the importance of the St. Johns…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Popular e-scooters are spreading in Jacksonville”
March 7, 2023

Popular e-scooters are spreading in Jacksonville

You’ll soon be able to snag a Bird or Lime scooter across Downtown, Brooklyn, the SouthBank and the Sports and…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jacksonville gives a boost to Black and Hispanic businesses”
March 6, 2023

Jacksonville gives a boost to Black and Hispanic businesses

Nearly a dozen Black and Hispanic-owned companies in Jacksonville will be enrolled in a program aimed at helping small businesses…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jacksonville identifies industries ripe for growth”
March 3, 2023

Jacksonville identifies industries ripe for growth

The Jax Chamber’s economic development arm has established a five-year regional plan focused on agribusiness, biomedical research and corporate operations.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “How the Union Terminal Warehouse connects with the Eastside community”
The Union Terminal Warehouse is a 330,000 square foot former grocery warehouse on Jacksonville's Eastside that is being converted into a residential, retail and commercial space that is being renovated by Atlanta-based Columbia Ventures. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today.
March 1, 2023

How the Union Terminal Warehouse connects with the Eastside community

The developer remaking the warehouse on Jacksonville’s Eastside has worked with residents to integrate the project into the community.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Pioneering Black aviator inspires a new age”
February 23, 2023

Pioneering Black aviator inspires a new age

Bessie Coleman Academy in Jacksonville celebrated Black History Month with a relative of the trailblazing pilot.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Black diamonds: Imagining the future of Jacksonville’s century-long baseball legacy ”
Ribault outfielder Braylin Clarke lays down a bunt during the High School Heritage Classic on Feb. 15, 2023. Clarke reached base twice and scored the game's opening run in Ribault's 8-3 win. His mother says he and his twin syster Brayla have played baseball and softball since they were three. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
February 21, 2023

Black diamonds: Imagining the future of Jacksonville’s century-long baseball legacy 

Black baseball evangelists are trying to attract young players in a city with a rich history with the sport.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jacksonville exhibition showcases Black Americans through arts”
February 20, 2023

Jacksonville exhibition showcases Black Americans through arts

Nearly 100 people filed into the Jessie Ball duPont Center on Saturday to attend “Free Press,” a conversation about Black…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “‘Little Free Diverse Libraries’ find a home during book debate”
February 16, 2023

‘Little Free Diverse Libraries’ find a home during book debate

904Ward and Yellow House Art are making diverse authors available in Jacksonville to fill “book deserts.”…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “What makes a good City Council member? Jax City Hall alumni weigh in ”
February 13, 2023

What makes a good City Council member? Jax City Hall alumni weigh in 

Jacksonville’s City Council will have a new look on July 1. Eight of 15 council races do not have an…

By Will Brown