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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Health
How is the rollout of 988 going in Washington state?
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched just over a week ago.
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Business
More Starbucks' closures could be coming. Is it about safety or union busting?
When Starbucks announced last week that that it was closing 16 stores due to what the company described as safety concerns, labor organizers at Starbucks Workers United said they spied a union busting strategy playing out.
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Arts & Life
'Sacrificing everything for hope.' NW poet gives voice to migration stories
In some families, the stories of why and how our ancestors immigrated to the United States are passed from generation to generation like lore. But in others...those stories are packed away and locked shut. Those unspoken conversations around migration inspired poet Ricardo Ruiz to travel back home to eastern Washington, and interview family and friends about their experiences emigrating from Mexico to Washington farming communities.
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Environment
Hear it again: The fauna that define us
Washington state is no stranger to majestic and awe-inspiring wildlife. Think of the orca, the bald eagle, the mighty salmon. But hiding in the cracks of our mountains and our cities lie creatures big and small, loving and annoying. Today, Soundside looks back on our favorite animal stories and how Washington balances
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Law & Courts
What does Idaho's pending ban on abortion mean for Washington state?
Abortion is still legal and protected here in Washington. But last week's Supreme Court decision on abortion rights has big implications for our neighbor to the east: Idaho.
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Law & Courts
Hear it again: Kennedy v. Bremerton School District and SCOTUS
While most have been tuned into understanding implications the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade will have on the country, the ruling on another case with local roots, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, was issued today.
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Arts & Life
Pride events are back in person this year. Here's how to show your support.
It's Pride Month. After two years of virtual festivities, in-person parades, concerts, and parties are finally back. Not sure where to start? We got you covered: we're taking you for a tour of Pride events around the Sound.
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Politics
How's Tacoma's guaranteed basic income program going?
The rising cost of everyday goods, and the end of several pandemic programs like the expanded Child Tax Credit has put millions of families across the family in a financially precarious position. Here in Washington, Tacoma is piloting their own guaranteed income initiative. It's called GRIT, an acronym for growing resilience in Tacoma.
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Education
'Beyond Black & White.' Roosevelt High alumni explore the legacy of Seattle's busing program
In the early 1960s, Seattle Public Schools launched the "voluntary racial transfer program." A new documentary features voices of students, past and present, reflecting on the legacy of busing and racism in the halls of Roosevelt High School and the district at-large.
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Sound it out: messages from listeners
At its core, Soundside is about connecting with our listeners and bringing you stories you care about and that impact those of us living here in the Pacific Northwest. Each week we ask for your thoughts about our stories -- where they've succeeded and where they can improve. Here's what you told us.