2022: The year in pictures

During a year marked by historical firsts and changing systems, residents of the Seattle area faced moments of both hope and disillusionment over the course of 2022.

The fall of Roe v. Wade brought hundreds out of their homes in protest. In early May, many had tears in their eyes during a pro-choice rally at Kerry Park following the leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I am not surprised at the treachery," said Kathleen, who only shared her first name. "I am devastated by it.”

As wildfires in the Cascade Mountains burned from summer into fall, Western Washington was blanketed in smoke once again. In October, Seattle ranked number one for having the worst air quality on the planet.

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s parents, Tynikki Arnold and her partner Sean have set a clear goal to give their kids a more loving and protected childhood than what they experienced, and to break cycles of trauma that contributed to deep emotional wounds and a mess of bad decisions.

The Lynnwood family is one of many that have found a lifeline in the state's Parent‐Child Assistance Program for pregnant and parenting women in recovery from substance use disorders.

Dancer Jonathan Batista made history as the first Black principal dancer in the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 50-year history.

He may be the first Black principal dancer in the history of the Pacific Northwest Ballet, but he’s working hard to make sure he isn’t the last.

“This is a moment for us," said Batista. "This is a moment for my teachers. This is a moment for young black boys, young black girls that want to dance, that want to see themselves on that stage."

In November, thousands of students walked out from schools all around Seattle and met at a rally in front of City Hall.

They demanded gun reform, safety, and mental health counselors in every school that represent the diverse backgrounds of students. The march came less than a week after a student shot and killed another student at Ingraham High School.

"Don't let us be next," read a homemade sign at the rally.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers are expected to push for a ban on assault weapons in Washington state during the next legislative session.

As the pandemic enters its fourth year, more than 1,400 children in Washington state have lost a caregiver due to Covid.

For three siblings in Puyallup, they’ve turned to family and friends, their school community, and a center for grieving children to try to patch their lives back together in the wake of their father’s death.

In October, roughly 12,000 offspring of endangered Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon were carried by small planes from a hatchery on Orcas Island. There, they were protected from potentially hazardous conditions like warming waters.

"We have now transported these little fish by land, by sea, by air," said King County Executive Dow Constantine to a large crowd gathered along the shore of Lake Sammamish, before the fish were released into the water.

Snoqualmie tribal elder Lois Sweet Dorman said that remembering how close the "amazing little red fish" came to extinction made the celebration feel bittersweet. "We will be here; other people will come and go. We will be here and we will be fighting for the little red fish because the little red fish are us."

As the year comes to a close, snow, ice, flooding, and freezing temperatures have made for an eventful winter thus far.

Looking ahead into the new year, experts are predicting that with the Pacific Northwest experiencing its third consecutive La Niña winter, colder and wetter months are on the horizon for the Seattle area before spring arrives.

The below images were taken in 2022 by KUOW photojournalist Megan Farmer in the Seattle area.