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 “Jaguars open Miller Electric Center as training camp nears”
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…

Featured image for “Jax-based Swisher invests in Emerald Trail project”
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.…

Featured image for “Black startup founders face venture capital headwinds”
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.…

Featured image for “‘This is the time to get ready’: Jacksonville prepares for hurricane season”
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.…

Featured image for “Superintendent Diana Greene ends trailblazing Duval career under scrutiny”
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…

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.…

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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.…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.…

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…