Radio Active

272 Stories

Signs of the times: Messages that popped up across greater Seattle that convey life in lockdown

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a shift in the language on signs, marquees and message boards throughout the Seattle area. Movie theaters replaced showtimes with words of reassurance, churches began advertising online services, and teachers expressed their love for their students in signs taped to classroom windows. The shift was amplified by the protests for racial justice, which began in late May. RadioActive’s Paul Kiefer scoured the greater Seattle area in search of these signs.
Paul Kiefer
Outside looking in: Photos of families during Covid-19 quarantine

The coronavirus pandemic has us cooped up inside, spending a lot of time alone, or with a small group of people. RadioActive’s Jadenne Radoc Cabahug set out to photograph what that looks like for KUOW. In her Renton neighborhood, she captured images of neighbors, and her own family members, through their windows.
Jadenne Radoc Cabahug
Arts & Life

Teens are warning each other about sex trafficking on TikTok. Here’s why the videos could do more harm than good

On a single day in King County, an estimated 300 to 500 children under the age of 18 are sex trafficked, according to the Seattle organization Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST). The dangers of getting forced into sex trafficking are something that everyday teenagers are warning each other about online. But the information shared in videos is often misleading — and it may keep us from recognizing the real risks.
Jadenne Radoc Cabahug
Oh, the places you’ll go! On Zoom, in your living room...

Graduation is a time of great fanfare in the United States, but this year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, students had to find other ways to celebrate. RadioActive’s Meghana Kakubal and Lila Shroff documented their graduation from Mercer Island High School for KUOW, chronicling intimate moments with friends, as well as the logistics of a drive-through graduation.
Meghana Kakubal

Lila Shroff
Arts & Life

The politics of pantsuits. This teen grapples with the unwritten dress code for women in leadership

For the first time in United States history, the country saw six women run for president in the 2020 election. Unlike the male candidates, the women were asked about their fashion choices. What women candidates wear plays a huge role in whether people think they’re electable, and that judgment of women’s clothing choices starts pretty young.
Ritika Managuli
Law & Courts

Inside Girls Court, Washington State’s first therapeutic court model for girls

Over the past two decades, while juvenile incarceration rates have been decreasing, rates of incarcerated girls have either stayed the same, or increased. In response, the Kitsap County Girls Court opened in June 2019 as Washington State’s first court system providing service just for girls. A few months ago, RadioActive's Lila Shroff went to see Girls Court in action.
Lila Shroff
Arts & Life

Take a lesson from Gen Z: Let your body hair grow

In the time of Covid-19, our hairstylists, waxers and threaders aren’t available to keep us looking fresh. Many of us are trying to figure out what to do about our body hair as our hair continues to grow and grow ... and grow. The younger generation doesn’t seem to mind.
Celia Fragale
Arts & Life

Spurned. A podcast about an outcast cowboy

Elise Cresswell is a reporter searching for a big story. When she meets a scorned "cowboy," she thinks she's found it. But like any good story, it doesn't end the way she expects...
Joshua Fernandes

Morgen White

Lucas Galarneau
Arts & Life

'Happiness is the most rebellious act.' Stories of resilience and connection for families during Covid-19

Two teens share an hour of stories about family, resilience and self-discovery, all produced by young people in the Puget Sound region.
Enya Garcia

Lila Shroff

Simone St. Pierre Nelson

RadioActive Youth Media
Education

'It's a civil rights issue.' Special education in the midst of a pandemic

As a Mercer Island High School senior, RadioActive's Meghana Kakubal worried that school closures would make it difficult for her to graduate on time. She wasn't worried about finishing her course work, though, because she knew it would continue online. Unfortunately, many students with disabilities won't be able to transition to online courses so easily. Christine Kenyon, a special education teacher at Mercer Island High School, worries that her students’ education will be completely disrupted by the closure.
Meghana Kakubal

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