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 “PHOTO ESSAY | Unity vigil to denounce anti-Semitism in Jacksonville”
Rabbi Iaakov Fisch, Rabbi Benjamin Dyme, Mariam Feist, Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida and Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner light candles during a Unity Vigil on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. Hundreds gathered at James Weldon Johnson Park in downtown Jacksonville to denounce Anti-Semitism. OneJax organized the event following multiple anti-Semitic displays during Georgia-Florida weekend. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 3, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | Unity vigil to denounce anti-Semitism in Jacksonville

Mariam Feist was direct: It is going to take a community-wide effort to “combat the root causes of bias.” Feist,…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Could Duval’s Black voters dictate the Florida midterms? ”
Daryl D. Jones with the D.C.-based Transformative Justice Coalition speaks in Jacksonville on Oct. 21, 2022, at a get-out-the-vote rally. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 25, 2022

Could Duval’s Black voters dictate the Florida midterms? 

Moné Holder does not need to be reminded of the importance of next month’s elections. “If we’re about to energize,…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Northwest Classic in pictures”
Raines fans celebrate the Vikings' sixth straight win over Ribault. Raines held on to beat Ribault 30-19 in the 53rd Northwest Classic on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 9, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | Northwest Classic in pictures

The Northwest Classic is more than a football game. It’s an opportunity to be the Kings of Moncrief for a…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Taking a page from Orlando’s book, Jax advocates call for a housing emergency declaration”
This home in the College Gardens neighborhood went up for rent in May 2022. Rent in the 32209 ZIP code, where the home is located, has increased 31.9 % during the pandemic. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 26, 2022

Taking a page from Orlando’s book, Jax advocates call for a housing emergency declaration

Jacksonville’s $1.5 billion budget is going to be finalized on Tuesday night. Though it will include funding aimed at helping…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jaguars win home opener shutout”
Jaguars running back James Robinson evades Stephon Gilmore's tackle en route to a 37-yard touchdown run in a Sept. 18, 2022 win over the Indianapolis Colts. The Jaguars (1-1) have won eight straight games over the Colts at TIAA Bank Field. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 18, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | Jaguars win home opener shutout

The Jaguars thumped Indianapolis 24-0 on Sunday afternoon in their 2022 home opener. The paid attendance of 58,360 may have…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month”
Members of the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce following a Sept. 13 kickoff for Hispanic Heritage Month. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 16, 2022

First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month

Celebrate. Appreciate. Educate. The First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and numerous others in the region, will do all three…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jaguars, NFL kick off with newfound commitment to coaching diversity”
Brentson Buckner is in his first year as Jaguars defensive line coach. Buckner has been in the NFL for 21 seasons, 12 as a player and nine as an assistant coach. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 8, 2022

Jaguars, NFL kick off with newfound commitment to coaching diversity

The NFL realizes it has a coaching diversity problem and the Jaguars are actively addressing it. When the Jaguars kick…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “UNF alum leads Diversity in Business program to recruit more Black students”
Audrieanna Burgin is the director of the Diversity in Business Program at the University of North Florida. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 5, 2022

UNF alum leads Diversity in Business program to recruit more Black students

A Jax Today Q&A with Audrieanna Burgin Audrieanna Burgin could not resist coming home. Burgin is a Jacksonville native and…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Eastside gearing up for renaissance on its terms”
Suzanne Pickett is the president and CEO of the Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation. She grew up Out East and returned to the neighborhood six years ago. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 31, 2022

Eastside gearing up for renaissance on its terms

Bobby Graham doesn’t trust the city of Jacksonville. The lifelong Eastside resident has seen too many promises go unfulfilled to…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Civil rights conference faces Jacksonville’s past, present and future: ‘It’s in your hands’ ”
Rodney Hurst Sr. was among those who were beaten on Ax Handle Saturday, Aug. 27, 1960. Hurst served as master of ceremonies for the inaugural Jacksonville Civil Rights Conference. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 28, 2022

Civil rights conference faces Jacksonville’s past, present and future: ‘It’s in your hands’ 

The inaugural Jacksonville Civil Rights Conference this past weekend explored how the city can move beyond its segregated history and…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Rutherford, Cammack, Bean roll in Republican primaries; Holloway leads by tiny margin in D4 Dem contest”
Former state Sen. Aaron Bean celebrates winning the Republican primary for Congressional District 4. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 23, 2022

Rutherford, Cammack, Bean roll in Republican primaries; Holloway leads by tiny margin in D4 Dem contest

John Rutherford will return to Congress for a fourth term in the House of Representatives. The Jacksonville congressman defeated challengers…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Duval’s Black voters have mixed thoughts on congressional redistricting”
Tiffany Smith, left, and longtime Sherwood resident Angela Lee discuss candidate information on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 21, 2022

Duval’s Black voters have mixed thoughts on congressional redistricting

Tuesday’s primary election will likely begin to close the book on a three-decade run of Black congressional representation in Jacksonville,…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jaguars show flashes in preseason loss to Cleveland”
Jaguars defensive back Shaquill Griffin celebrates his first quarter fumble recovery during an Aug. 12, 2022 preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.| Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 14, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | Jaguars show flashes in preseason loss to Cleveland

The Jaguars lost their second straight preseason game on Friday night, falling 24-13 to Cleveland. Jacksonville led 13-0, however, when…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “More Duval students could take JTA city buses to school”
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority provided more than 34,000 fares to Duval County students in the 2021-22 academic year as part of the My Ride 2 School program. Both the authority, and Duval County Public Schools, anticipate the number to increase this year. | Jacksonville Transportation Authority
August 12, 2022

More Duval students could take JTA city buses to school

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority may be one of the solutions to Duval County’s school bus driver shortage. Later this month,…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | What is Jacksonville today?”
The Jacksonville Beach pier from an aerial perspective. | Helena Karst
August 8, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | What is Jacksonville today?

What is Jacksonville Today? Florida State College at Jacksonville students answered that question through images.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Black-owned startup Laundr gets a boost in Jacksonville”
Kyle Lampkin, co-founder of Laundr, won the Black Founders Demo Day competition organized by Jacksonville-based venture capital firm PS27 Ventures. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
July 27, 2022

Black-owned startup Laundr gets a boost in Jacksonville

Kyle Lampkin and Michael Behfar are monetizing one of the most mundane parts of adulting: doing laundry. The two childhood…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “1-in-3 Duval mail-ballot voters are ineligible to vote unless they update their IDs. See where they live”
A Jacksonville Today analysis of voter data shows the percentage of each ZIP code's voters who need to update their ID info.
July 20, 2022

1-in-3 Duval mail-ballot voters are ineligible to vote unless they update their IDs. See where they live

With less than five weeks remaining until the August primaries, a third of the 97,999 Duval voters who requested vote-by-mail…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “City, nonprofits offer help for homebuyers in Northwest Jacksonville ”
Cheri Randolph is one of 10 homeowners who moved into homes built by the Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corporation this year. The non-profit aims to revive the middle class in 19 Northwest Jacksonville neighborhoods and communities. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
July 11, 2022

City, nonprofits offer help for homebuyers in Northwest Jacksonville 

Cheri Randolph is a homebody. She prefers cooking a meal for her boys and the other mundane activities that turn…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Black labor fuels Jacksonville’s maritime industry”
Jaxport CEO Eric Green celebrates harbor deepening on May 23, 2022. The $410 million project is projected to produce scores of jobs in Jacksonville's maritime industry. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 27, 2022

Black labor fuels Jacksonville’s maritime industry

JAXPORT is on pace for another record-setting year in container volume, a volume that would not be possible without its…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “From Green Cove Springs to D.C.: Congressional Black Caucus executive director has local roots ”
Congressional Black Caucus Executive Director Vince Evans, center, smiles as Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Maryland), left, and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-South Carolina) greet each other during a meeting with members of the National Pan Hellenic Council on June 14, 2022. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today.
June 20, 2022

From Green Cove Springs to D.C.: Congressional Black Caucus executive director has local roots 

A Jax Today Q&A with Vince Evans Vince Evans stood against a wall, listening and nodding as Rep. Sheila Jackson…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “To fight violent crime, Jacksonville offering Rise Up grants for nonprofits”
Arnisha Johnson, right, and Shontae Jackson, center, listen to city officials discuss the criteria for the Jacksonville Rise Up Mini Grant program that will be allocated through the Safety and Crime Reduction Commission. The $336,000 program will award up to $9,000 to local nonprofits to prevent violent crime. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 12, 2022

To fight violent crime, Jacksonville offering Rise Up grants for nonprofits

Shontae Jackson does not need to be told how devastating it can be when a family member’s life is shockingly…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jacksonville’s Small Business Equity Fund is stimulus for overlooked companies”
The City of Jacksonville provided $1 million for LISC Jacksonville to allocate through its Small Business Equity Fund grant program. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
June 6, 2022

Jacksonville’s Small Business Equity Fund is stimulus for overlooked companies

Dara Davis started All Construction Group, a company she operates out of her home on Jacksonville’s Northside, in March of…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Former Jax area Wells Fargo SVP says he was fired for objecting to fake interviews for non-white candidates”
Joe Bruno was a senior vice president and Jacksonville market manager with Wells Fargo Advisors before being fired in late 2021.
May 26, 2022

Former Jax area Wells Fargo SVP says he was fired for objecting to fake interviews for non-white candidates

A Jax Today Q&A with Joe Bruno Joe Bruno, a former executive at Wells Fargo, claimed this month in The…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Some Black groups say they were left out of Jacksonville’s bicentennial, so they’re holding their own events instead”
Hazel Gillis is the president of the James Weldon Johnson chapter of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Her organization, and Black-led groups in town, feels left out of Jacksonville's bicentennial celebration that is slated for June. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 17, 2022

Some Black groups say they were left out of Jacksonville’s bicentennial, so they’re holding their own events instead

Celebrating the city’s two centuries of history – warts and all – was the challenge the Jacksonville Historical Society was…

By Will Brown