Noel Gasca
General Assignment Reporter
About
Noel is a general assignment reporter for KUOW, covering everything from city hall to pickleball. Prior to joining the newsroom, Noel worked as a producer for KUOW’s midday show Soundside. Noel has also worked as an online editor and producer with KUOW’s web team, and she’s also a proud graduate of KUOW’s RadioActive program.
Noel is an alumna of Emerson College and has interned at NPR member stations WBUR in Boston and WAMU in Washington D.C. Originally from Lake Stevens, Washington, Noel is elated to be back in the Pacific Northwest and covering the people and places that make up the state she calls home.
When she’s not working, Noel enjoys perusing Seattle’s used bookstores, practicing her kata, and discussing the lasting legacy of Selena Quintanilla’s music with anyone who will listen.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: National Association of Hispanic Journalists, AIR
Podcasts
Stories
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Soundside goes to the movies: How do we get productions set in WA to actually film here?
There are lots of movies set in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest, like "Sleepless in Seattle," or "Twilight." But many aren't actually filmed here. Soundside spent a day at the movies talking local classics and how we can get more movies produced in the region.
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Searching beyond grunge to the rock 'n' roll heart of the 'Northwest sound'
But long before the region made its mark through indie rock and hip hop, there was another golden era of music here in the Pacific Northwest. From the 1940s to the 1960s, cities like Seattle, Olympia, and Tacoma were developing a distinctly Pacific Northwest flavor of R&B and rock and roll.
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Celebrate Earth Day with these local environmental orgs
Earth day began in 1970 as part of a public pressure campaign to support policies that became the Clean Air Act, the establishment of the EPA, things like that. Today the environmental movement has come so far -- is Earth Day still necessary? These environmental stewards say yes.
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A curtain call for MoPop's Pearl Jam exhibit
Since 2018, Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture has given fans a first-hand look at the band’s journey through more than 1,000 artifacts directly from Pearl Jam’s members. But it’s the final curtain call for the exhibit. After five years, "Pearl Jam: Home and Away" will close on April 23.
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Where are all the monuments to women in Seattle?
If you were to take a tour of public monuments to women here in Seattle — it would be a short one.
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The grandeur and legacy of drag trailblazer Doris Fish
Drag superstars have become household names. RuPaul, Trixie Mattel, Bianca Del Rio, Ben DeLaCreme — chances are you’ve probably heard of at least one of them. But before Drag Race dominated the zeitgeist, there was Doris.
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How one conversation changed the life of a RadioActive alum
Today, we’re revisiting a feature story from RadioActive alum April Reyes. It’s about how one conversation with a classmate changed Reyes’s junior year, and ultimately — her life.
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Trying to count unhoused people in WA is 'like nailing water to the wall,' experts say
How many unhoused people live in Washington state? It seems like a relatively simple question — especially since it’s the basis for so many important decisions. But figuring out the answer is tough.
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What Arizona v. Navajo Nation could mean for tribal rights in the West and beyond
Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Arizona v. Navajo Nation. The court’s decision could have significant implications for the water rights of tribes across the country, including here in the Pacific Northwest.
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Representation sold separately: New American Girl dolls overlook Seattle's diversity
For Soundside producer Noel Gasca, two new American Girl dolls prompted her to think about who gets to represent Seattle — even in doll form — and reexamine her own relationship with her favorite childhood toy.
