In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

High paid actors are one thing, but what’s the reality for young students seeking support from teachers and parents to pursue their passion? We talk to public school teacher Meghan Reilly Michaud who has been a very vocal advocate for STEAM-Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, about the importance of arts in curriculum. And, The Chicago High School for the Arts Executive Director Jose Ochoa explains the model the school uses to create> between traditional and arts-focused learning.

We also check with Chicago-based business consultant Quirtina Crittenden, who created the #AirbnbWhileBlack hashtag on Twitter, and Stefan Grant, whose negative experience with Airbnb as a black man prompted him to start his own short-term home rental site Noirbnb.

Luvvie Ajayi wears many hats: Comedian. Activist. Pop culture blogger. And now she adds her lifelong dream of being an author to her many roles. Leaving Nigeria at a young age to come to Chicago with her family, Ajayi faced issues with identity, culture and race—all of which she’s used to fuel her comedic work and bring light to a common experience. She talks with the Morning Shift about her new book I’m Judging You, where she tackles topics from “oversharing on social media” to social justice.

Thirty years ago Oprah Winfrey stepped onto the national stage with the first syndicated episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The rest is history. The Chicago-based show ran in hundreds of markets for 25 years, earned more than 40 Emmy awards and made Oprah the richest and most famous African American woman in the country. Of course, the show changed quite a bit over the years. Morning Shift talks to Chicago Magazine writer Mike Thomas about the show’s first season in syndication in 1986.

In 1984, Alice McGee started as an intern on Oprah Winfrey’s local Chicago talk show and moved up the ranks during her nearly two decades with the media queen. Morning Shift talks with McGee about what it was like behind the scenes from the early years right on through to the point where Oprah was running a media empire worth billions.

Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of cult classic series Star Trek. The original series, which sparked countless spin-offs, premiered in 1966 with Captain James T. Kirk navigating the USS Enterprise through the Milky Way galaxy. Generations later, the Star Trek franchise has continued to captivate adults and children alike with its message of togetherness through diversity. We sat down with one proud Trekkie, Gordon Dymowski, to talk about the life lessons he learned from the original series and how it helped shape him into the man he is today.

In January 2015 Governor Rauner appointed George Sheldon to head up Illinois’s beleaguered Department of Children and Family Services. Sheldon had previously served in similar posts in the state of Florida and at the federal level. Rauner hoped Sheldon could set DCFS on the right path after years of scandals and a rotating cast of directors.  He’s working on it. By October, Sheldon hopes to finalize the Illinois Child Welfare Strategic Plan, a kind of manual for the department’s plans for the next four years.  Most recently, he’s been pushing a proposal that would, among other things, provide addiction treatment for mothers without separating them from their children. He speaks with Morning Shift's Tony Sarabia about that plan and about the future of child welfare in Illinois.

Phyllis Schlafly was known as the "first lady of the conservative movement" by her legions of admirers. Her rise to prominence started in the 1950s with her crusade against communism. But she might be most remembered for her battle against equal rights for women -- a fight she waged here in Illinois. Schlafly died Monday at the age of 92.  Chicago magazine writer Carol Felsenthal wrote her biography in 1981, and she's on the line to talk about Schlafly’s Illinois legacy.

Addison Russell’s talent was never secret. He was picked 11th overall by the Oakland A’s in 2012. Two years later he was traded to the Cubs, and began last season as Baseball America’s #3 prospect. But this is Russell’s first full year as a starter in the majors. And what a year it’s been so far. WBEZ’s sports contributor Cheryl Raye Stout talked with Addison Russell about his young family, and his quick development into a major league star.

Multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird has long taken what you might call an acrobatic approach to songwriting. The Illinois native is playing a show tonight at Millennium Park, but we have the honor of having him here in our studio.  Morning Shift's Tony Sarabia talks with Bird about his new record. But first, let’s hear some music.