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 “CSX contributes $100,000 to fight anti-semitism”
December 30, 2022

CSX contributes $100,000 to fight anti-semitism

Jacksonville-based CSX has announced a $100,000 donation to the Together Strong Community Fund to fight anti-Semitism in Northeast Florida. The…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Jax Today’s 11 favorite images from 2022”
Jaguars punter Logan Cooke holts up his 11-month old son, Cooper, prior to the team's 2022 home opener. During Cooper's first NFL football game, his dad's team shutout Indianapolis 24-0. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 29, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | Jax Today’s 11 favorite images from 2022

Jacksonville Today’s Will Brown shares his favorite images he’s captured over the past year.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Gator Bowl mania returns with packed house”
Workers prep TIAA Bank Field on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, for the 78th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
December 29, 2022

Gator Bowl mania returns with packed house

When the 78th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl kicks off Friday, it will feature a big crowd and marquee matchup as it…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Families of Slain Children provides toys, food, comfort for Durkeeville residents ahead of holidays”
Families of Slain Children is a Durkeeville-based non-profit that focuses on the emotional and physical health of families impacted by homicide. Every Monday it provides food to people in Durkeeville, Grand Park and the surrounding areas. Families of Slain Children is one of more than 100 food pantries affiliated with Feeding Northeast Florida. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 20, 2022

Families of Slain Children provides toys, food, comfort for Durkeeville residents ahead of holidays

Beverly McClain’s idea of being a good neighbor is loving people where they are. Her official title is CEO of…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Jaguars recognize Historic Eastside CDC with inaugural Inspire Change award”
Historic Eastside CDC President Suzanne Pickett, right, hugs T-Neisha Tate, the Jaguars' Vice President of Social Responsibility and Impact, after being surprised with Super Bowl tickets during a Dec. 18, 2022 football game. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 20, 2022

Jaguars recognize Historic Eastside CDC with inaugural Inspire Change award

Suzanne Pickett is headed to the Super Bowl. The president and CEO of the Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation was…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | ‘Take them down!’”
Jacksonville activists Ben Frazier, center, and Bob Rutter, right, are removed from the chambers by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Tuesday night. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 14, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | ‘Take them down!’

Activists with the Northside Coalition and other civil rights groups implored the Jacksonville City Council Tuesday to remove the Confederate…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “How should Jax address housing and health care? Ideas head to City Council”
City Council President Terrance Freeman | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
December 11, 2022

How should Jax address housing and health care? Ideas head to City Council

Jacksonville could soon take steps to address homelessness, a lack of affordable housing and inequitable access to healthcare.  That’s after…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “UF quarterback Jalen Kitna booked on child porn charges”
November 30, 2022

UF quarterback Jalen Kitna booked on child porn charges

University of Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna has been arrested on charges related to child pornography. Gainesville police say Kitna was…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “DeSantis awards grant for rail improvements on Westside”
November 29, 2022

DeSantis awards grant for rail improvements on Westside

Gov. Ron DeSantis was at Cecil Airport on Tuesday to award a $5.5 million grant from the Governor’s Job Growth…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “2 new Northwest Jacksonville schools mix HBCU culture with elementary curriculum”
Mikynzi Alexander recites Useni Eugene Perkins' poem "Hey Black Child" during a ribbon cutting for Becoming Collegiate Academy. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 28, 2022

2 new Northwest Jacksonville schools mix HBCU culture with elementary curriculum

Mikynzi Alexander spoke with confidence as she recited Useni Eugene Perkins’ poem “Hey, Black Child” at her school’s ribbon-cutting last…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “QUIZ: How well do Jaxsons know soccer?”
November 22, 2022

QUIZ: How well do Jaxsons know soccer?

The men’s World Cup kicked off in the Middle East for the first time this week, as host nation Qatar…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Black Restaurant Week puts spotlight on Northeast Florida’s culinary diversity”
Lew Kaiser, right, and LaTasha Kaiser, left, own KraVegan LLC, a Jacksonville-based vegan restaurant that has a food truck and as well as a brick and mortar location inside the Orange Park Mall. LaTasha is the owner, CEO and culinary inspiration behind the business while Lew serves as its Chief Financial Officer. KraVegan is one of 11 Northeast Florida culinary establishment's that is participating in Black Restaurant Week. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 15, 2022

Black Restaurant Week puts spotlight on Northeast Florida’s culinary diversity

Nearly a dozen Northeast Florida eateries are participating in Black Restaurant Week.  The Jacksonville restaurants offering special dishes this week…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Duval’s colon cancer rate is higher than Florida’s. A local doctor studied whether personal phone calls about screening could help. ”
Dr. Peter Ghali conducted a Jacksonville study that looked at the impact of targeted colon cancer screenings in Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 10, 2022

Duval’s colon cancer rate is higher than Florida’s. A local doctor studied whether personal phone calls about screening could help. 

When Black Panther: Wakanda Forever debuts this week it will serve as a cinematic eulogy to Chadwick Boseman. The actor…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Aaron Bean leads GOP wave in congressional races”
Aaron Bean of Fernandina Beach became the first Nassau County resident elected to the United States Congress. He will represent Florida's Fourth Congressional District. Bean, 55, previously served in the Florida Legislature for 16 years. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 8, 2022

Aaron Bean leads GOP wave in congressional races

Aaron Bean will be Northeast Florida’s representative in the newly drawn Congressional District 4. The Fernandina Beach resident comfortably defeated…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Trailblazer Dr. Charles B. McIntosh paves path for clinic, community center in Northwest Jax”
Dr. Charles B. McIntosh became Jacksonville's first Black pediatrician to open a private practice in 1958. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 7, 2022

Trailblazer Dr. Charles B. McIntosh paves path for clinic, community center in Northwest Jax

A smile slowly crept across Dr. Charles B. McIntosh’s face as he watched the unveiling last week of a rendering…

By Will Brown

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