A community-led journalism initiative amplifying diverse Central Texas voices through thoughtful listening and storytelling.
Rundberg is one of Austin's most diverse and vibrant communities. Through community-led journalism, Decibel ATX is working alongside residents to elevate local voices, explore issues that matter, and tell stories that reflect the neighborhood's culture, resilience, and everyday experiences.
We select one underrepresented community and report over one year
We visit and listen to what our community needs
We dig in and research and share back our insights
We create content based the communities feedback
And we keep going, elevating our community voices
Catch full episodes, shorts, and community storytelling from Decibel ATX on the Austin PBS YouTube channel.
Have story ideas, advice on how we can improve our reporting or just want to know more about what we do?
Get quick, digestible breakdowns of important and complex issues affecting our communities.
Selected for its rapid growth and evolving identity, Del Valle became a Decibel ATX focus area to better understand and amplify the voices of a changing community.
Selected as one of Central Texas' fastest-growing cities, Pflugerville offered an opportunity to explore the stories, challenges, and priorities shaping its future.
Selected for its strong community identity and ongoing neighborhood change, Dove Springs became a focus area to elevate resident voices and local perspectives.
Blair Waltman-Alexin is Decibel's senior multimedia journalist. Since joining Austin PBS in 2014 she's covered everything from politics and education to bike clubs and the best fried Oreos. In her free time Blair enjoys running with her dog, watching nerdy movies with her husband and wandering around any library that's open.
Jackie Ibarra is a multimedia journalist for Decibel, where she leads the social media channels and covers local stories happening in the community. Her work won a NETA Public Media Award for Best Cross-Platform Content. Jackie is a graduate of the University of Texas, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism. Outside of work, Jackie likes to craft, run in local parks and root for the Spurs.
February 26, 2026