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
Stories
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What effect is 'remote work' having on the local video game industry?
KUOW's Joshua McNichols joins Soundside to talk about the effect remote work is having on the Pacific Northwest video game industry.
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Incoming SDOT director promises ‘top to bottom review’ of Vision Zero
Before taking the top job at SDOT, Greg Spotts was in Los Angeles, leading the city of L.A.'s street services bureau. Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke to Spotts about some of his priorities for the department in his first year on the job, Vision Zero, and creating a more climate-resilient transportation infrastructure.
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The untold history of migrant labor in the Pacific Northwest
Author and historian Megan Asaka tells the story of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and indigenous laborers in her book Seattle from the Margins: Exclusion, Erasure, and the Making of a Pacific Coast City.
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You think you know all the details, Sarah Marshall wants you to know you're wrong
There are probably some stories, or people, that you think you know ALL about. Writer, cultural critic, and podcast host Sarah Marshall wants you to know — you're wrong.
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50 years celebrating Black arts: The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute marks a milestone
For 50 years, the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute has played a vital role in fostering the talent of African American artists and performers here in Seattle. Visitors to the Central-District based arts center - many of whom live in the neighborhood - might stroll over to watch the teen summer musical, take a dance class, or tour an art exhibit. KUOW arts and culture reporter Mike Davis sat down with some of the key members behind the organization.
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Sound it Out: Listeners sound off on ranked choice and approval voting
One of our primary missions for Soundside is to make sure you're not just hearing US when you listen. You're hearing yourself, too. YOUR questions, YOUR thoughts - because you're our neighbors, you're the folks we make this for. This time, we're discussing the feedback you gave us two stories we did about potential changes to Seattle's voting system.
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For Yakima Valley residents, a ‘zombie’ sandwich represents childhood nostalgia
Back to school means the return of a lot of kids' favorite part of the day: lunchtime. And in the Yakima Valley, there's one lunchtime staple that reigns supreme: the cheese zombie. If you grew up on the west side of the state, you've probably never heard of this doughy delight.
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What does the new climate bill mean for Washington state?
Climate scientists say it’s now or never for governments to reassess their energy policies, before it’s too late to make a difference. The US is looking at doing just that. Earlier this month, congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes almost $370 billion dollars in climate provisions that could change how we get our energy. But will those investments bring us any closer to addressing climate change in an impactful way?
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'The Queer Agenda:' A summer road trip with a purpose
For many, summer road trips are a rite of passage — and a chance to visit weird roadside attractions and eat a lot of fast food. But for a few Snohomish residents, their road trip came with a mission.
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Washington schools have $1.5 billion to spend — where will it go?
When schools shut down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress put aside just over $13 billion in grant money for state educational agencies. New rounds of funding were approved in December 2020 and March 2021. But roughly half of the $2.6 billion allocated for schools here in Washington hasn’t been claimed yet, data published by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction from July shows.