Meet Our Reporters

Portrait o Ammy Sanchez.

Jade Emerson (she/her)

Jade Emerson fell in love with audio storytelling at the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s in journalism. She’s passionate about covering the complexity and diversity of Texas and reporting on both the big and small stories. As a reporter for The Daily Texan, UT’s student newspaper, she started a column where professors shared their favorite books. At the women’s magazine One to Know, Jade wrote profiles about local nonprofits and personal essays ranging from fashion to the fear of failure. She also contributed to The Drag, UT’s audio production house, where she hosted “Lady Bird,” a long-form narrative podcast about the former first lady. Outside of work, Jade loves to stay busy by reading, sewing, hiking and playing the bass guitar. 

Ways to connect with Jade:

Rediscovering my love for journalism

Sep 8, 2023

Before I graduated from the University of Texas in May of 2023, I had already started searching for my next step. I submitted application after application to different fellowships, jobs and contract gigs, and I was met by rejection after rejection, if not total radio...

Portrait o Ammy Sanchez.

Brittany Stubblefield-Engram (she/they)

Brittany Stubblefield-Engram is a neurodivergent, multidisciplinary artist, hip-hop scholar, and early career journalist from Dallas, Texas.

A summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Texas at Dallas, Brittany is currently working towards a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction, with a specialization in English at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. As a spoken word artist and poet, Brittany’s work speaks to the Black femme experience and narrative of womanhood in the South.

Her work includes the Marjorie Welch Fitts Louis 2022-2023 Fellowship at KERA North Texas, “Best Editorial” at the Bridge Student Newspaper in 2021, first place at the JAG Arts Festival Poetry in 2022, and first place at the City of Rowlett’s Arts and Humanities Commission Adult Poetry contest in 2023.

Brittany is passionate about the advancement of Black and Brown folks globally. Brittany enjoys eating pickled beets and watching cartoons with husband Edwin and son Legacy.

Ways to connect with Brittany:

One Year In, One Week Deep

Sep 8, 2023

Who would have ever imagined that someone who identifies as a “hip hop scholar” could relate to Radiohead lyrics? “ I'm a creep. I'm a weirdo. What the hell am I doin' here? I don't belong here.” Lyrically, it may be out of context, but the words in a literal sense...

Portrait o Ammy Sanchez.

Angela Lim (she/her)

Angela Lim is a junior studying journalism and Asian American studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Driven by feature storytelling, she reports on topics ranging from culture and music to education.

Angela is currently an undergraduate research assistant at the Center for Media Engagement, where she focuses on propaganda research and diaspora communities. Previously, she served as the life and arts editor at The Daily Texan, her university’s student-run newspaper. She has also written for Community Impact Newspaper, the Austin Chronicle and the Daily Dot.

Houston-born and raised in the Philippines, Angela is passionate about covering marginalized groups and making the news more accessible to them. Outside of journalism, she enjoys cooking Filipino dishes, learning new languages and going to concerts.

Connect with Angela:

The first days of my 20s at NPR’s Next Gen Radio

Sep 8, 2023

When I told my parents — who live in the Philippines — that I got the opportunity to do NPR’s Next Generation Radio, they asked, "What is NPR?" At one point, my mom kept spelling it as PNR, which stands for Philippine National Railways. She asked my sister, "What's an...

Portrait o Ammy Sanchez.

Alyson Rodriguez (she/her)

Alyson is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in multimedia journalism with a minor in leadership studies at the University of Texas at El Paso.

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Alyson has been interested in multimedia journalism since she was a kid. She attended film-making camps as a child and was chief photographer for her high school yearbook. In college, she worked as a reporter for the UTEP newspaper, The Prospector, where she covered arts and culture, news and sports. She has also produced multiple podcast segments and videos for The Prospector. In the summer of 2023, Alyson interned at El Paso Matters, a locally-owned digital news site. She will begin a second internship with the Texas Standard in September 2023.

When she is not in the newsroom, Alyson likes to hike, paint, watch movies and crochet.

Ways to connect with Alyson:

Print reporter realizes true calling in radio

Sep 8, 2023

During the spring semester of my junior year in college, my journalism professor told me I had a voice for radio and should apply to be a part of NPR's Next Generation Radio. I applied in the summer and was very surprised to be chosen, even though I didn’t have much...

Portrait o Ammy Sanchez.

Sarah Vasquez (she/her)

Sarah M. Vasquez is a freelance writer and photographer based in Marfa, Texas. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Texas State University, she interned at Marfa Public Radio in 2013. Then, she joined the Big Bend Sentinel as a general assignment reporter and photographer.

In 2003, before moving to Marfa, she started her website, SoManyBands.net, covering the Austin music scene. Her writing has appeared in Latinx Spaces, Texas Observer, Hyperallergic, Luz Media and Texas Highways. Her photography has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Texas Monthly, NBC News, the New York Times and the Texas Tribune. Sarah’s goal is to focus on stories about Latinx culture and its contribution to the mainstream.

Ways to connect with Sarah:

Gaining my confidence back through Next Generation Radio

Sep 8, 2023

When my mentor Carlos Morales called me about applying for NPR’s Next Generation Radio, the first question I asked him was if I was too old or experienced for the program. I’ve always wanted to apply for Next Gen, but I felt my time had already passed.  I have been...