A good way to picture Autumn Adams is in her crimson cap and gown. This was last spring, as she graduated from Central Washington University in Ellensburg. By her side were two people: her 14-year-old brother John and her 10-year-old sister Kaya. Nothing unusual about family showing up for a big milestone like this. But, Adams’ family is a little different from the other young grads there that day with their moms and uncles and grandmas. Autumn’s younger siblings have been there with her, on

The theme of this week’s Sound Effect is “Gatekeepers” — stories about people with power over who comes and goes. First, we hear what it’s like for a prison guard to be locked in with the inmates. Next, a story of escape and betrayal in one of the world’s most repressive countries. Then, the chilling words of a man ready to confront his fate — and his complicated journey to execution. Finally, we hear from a woman who once was tasked with helping determine who was approved to resettle from

Grace Jo was 6 years old when her mom scooped up her and her older sister, and set out to cross the Tumen River into China. “We walked three nights and four days,” Jo said, recalling the trek along rocky mountain trails. “A lot of tree branches were hurting our skin. A lot of wild animal sounds we could hear at night, and we had to hide from people.” At the river’s edge, the water level went up to her mother’s hips. “My mom managed, and all three of us able to cross river and come to China.” But

In the fall of 1989, in Vancouver, Washington, a short, 29-year-old man named Westley Allan Dodd raped and murdered three young boys. The boys were brothers Cole and William Neer, ages 10 and 11, and 4-year-old Lee Iseli. A few weeks later, police arrested Westley at a movie theater after he tried and failed to abduct another boy. He quickly confessed to the three murders. The prosecution sought the death penalty, and Dodd pled guilty. Death penalty cases take a long time due to all the appeals

The Vietnam War officially ended in 1973, but people continued to flee the country well into the 1980s. Hundreds of thousands of people escaped the country on boats. Thousands died at sea. It was an international humanitarian crisis. The men, women and children fleeing were called boat people. “After the Vietnam War, people in South Vietnam who had supported the United States presence and war effort, you know, they were treated like the enemy,” said Alison Krupnick, who lives in Seattle. Today,

Seattle-born band Soundgarden and Seattle resident Dave Matthews are among the 16 acts nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2020 class, alongside the late musical icons Whitney Houston and Notorious B.I.G.

Hundreds gathered in downtown Seattle today to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day with a rally and march to City Hall. Seattle is one of more than 100 cities in the United States that has re-named the second Monday in October to honor Native American cultures and traditions, rather than calling it "Columbus Day." The Seattle City Council voted to create Indigenous Peoples' Day five years ago. It's also observed in Tacoma, Olympia and other cities. But it's not a state-recognized holiday.

The theme for this week’s episode of Sound Effect is “Found in Translation” — stories of making ourselves understood, for better or for worse. First, we meet a Kenyan woman who was pleased to meet a white woman familiar with her home country and tribe — until she learned why. Then, we visit a landmark that’s become a flashpoint between a mostly white city government and a changing community. Host Gabriel Spitzer takes us back to a remote village in Alaska where he experienced an unlikely racial

The film "Boyz n the Hood" inspired Tristan Agosa. It's a gritty, coming-of-age story set in the Los Angeles of the '80s and '90s, complete with gang violence, racism, and this one sliver of hope — the relationship between the main character, Tre, and his dad, Furious. That’s the part Agosa latched onto. “There’s a scene where Fury and his kid are fishing,” said Agosa, who grew up in White Center. “The way the kid looked at his dad with admiration and respect and love, and that’s something I

The third Seattle Women’s March took place Jan. 19 earlier this year. Among the protesters — who marched down East Pine Street wearing pink hats and holding signs with slogans like “the future is female” — was Neroli Price. This was Neroli’s first time protesting in Seattle since moving to the city in 2018. Everything about the experience felt new, except for the very act of marching itself. That’s because Neroli grew up in “the protest capital of the world”: South Africa. As Neroli explains,