Seattle Now Saturday Special: Graduation season for mixed immigration status families, a lack of state funding closes a day center for disabled adults, and how improv helps with early-stage memory loss
Jun 14, 2025
Kyle Norris, a reporter covering a unique theater program in Washington state, sheds light on the intersection of creativity and memory care. She discusses a heartfelt graduation story of a high school senior facing emotional challenges due to a mixed-status family. Norris also explores a day health center's closure, leaving vulnerable adults without essential services. Highlighting the oddly therapeutic nature of improv, she reveals how playful activities can bridge gaps for those with early-stage memory loss, fostering joy and connection.
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Graduation Amid Family Separation
- Alex Guerrero Villatoro graduated high school despite family separation caused by immigration enforcement.
- He balanced school with a warehouse job to support his family abroad while pursuing real estate training.
Funding Crisis Closes Day Centers
- Day health centers for disabled adults face closure due to insufficient state funding and rising costs.
- Snohomish County will lose its last such facility, highlighting funding disparities and pandemic impacts.
Improv Eases Memory Loss Challenges
- An improv class for people with early-stage memory loss fosters creativity and social connection.
- Participants find relief from judgment and enjoy being present, improving their well-being.