In the Loop

According to Reclaimed Soul host Ayana Contreras, 1966 was a banner year for the genre. Contreras plays some deep cuts from that year and tells the stories behind them as we go back exactly one-half century and explore the sounds of ‘66 on another edition of Reclaimed Soul.

Actors and directors are usually the first roles people think of when it comes to live productions. But what about the mastermind? The writer behind the scenes creating and piecing together the plot, setting, and characters is where the magic begins. In this installment of Working Shift, we talk to David Rabe, a seasoned playwright about his writing process and what it's like to see his words come to life on stage.

You’ve got ’em, you use them, and you probably have a favorite: is it the winking smiley face? The high-five? Or maybe it’s the Vulcan salute ala Star Trek? Of course we’re talking about Emojis. They’ve become part of our lexicon, helping us express our thoughts without words, but recently, Rayouf Alhumedhi, a 15-year-old Saudi girl in Germany submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium that would increase the diversity of these little characters by adding an emoji that wears hijab. That got us thinking: Who decides what becomes an official emoji?

Talk about the kindness of strangers! Fidencio Sanchez and his wife are about to receive $385,000—donations sent by friends, neighbors, and complete strangers. The 89-year-old man from Little Village was retired until financial circumstances forced him to return to work selling Mexican popsicles, or paletas, from a cart. When his story went viral, so did the GoFundMe campaign seeking to help him. DNAInfo reporter Kelly Bauer tells us about his story and what’s been called the largest GoFundMe campaign in Illinois.

The community of Bronzeville has boomed in the last few years with many dubbing it Chicago's 'black metropolis.' But with a growing neighborhood comes concerns over safety. One transit advocate, Ronnie Matthew Harris, and his team at GoBronzeville are encouraging biking, public transit, and walking as a way to combat those concerns plus enhance the neighborhood. Morning Shift went to Bronzeville and spoke with Harris about his vision for the community and why he's so determined to make his hometown pedestrian friendly.

A few weeks ago, hip-hop artist and activist Rhymefest had a scary run-in when he was robbed at gunpoint in his car on the South Side. The experience only got worse when he went to police. According to his account, he was mistreated when he reported the crime. The CPD later apologized. Since then, Rhymefest has decided to turn those negative encounters into a positive by organizing what he calls a Truth and Reconciliation series where police and community members will share their stories and open up a dialogue.  Morning Shift talks to Rhymefest about the robbery, his encounter with police, his subsequent meetings with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPD brass and his plans for Truth and Reconciliation in the City of Chicago.

No matter what happens between now and the end of the season, the Chicago Cubs will be playing baseball in October. Late last night, St. Louis lost on the west coast, mathematically eliminating themselves from the division title. That means the Cubs are champs of the National League Central Division. WBEZ’s Cheryl Raye Stout joins us to talk about this huge step, and how the team and the fans are hoping that this is just the beginning.

Colson Whitehead’s latest novel, The Underground Railroad, mixes fantasy and history to take us on a harrowing journey from slavery to freedom. It tells the story of Cora, a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia, who struggles towards freedom along the path of an underground railroad made real in in this novel.

Dr. Maya Angelou is known for seminal works such as “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” But a recent documentary delves deeply into her early life in the Jim Crow South, her time as a calypso singer and performer, and her activism. The directors of Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise join Morning Shift to talk about the woman within the icon.

Anyone who hasn’t seen the inside of the Elks Veterans Memorial should scurry on back and see the inside. It’s worth it (and it’s free.)