PLATO Weekly Update 

December 6, 2022

THE AGORA
The Agora, PLATO’s literary and arts journal, 
celebrates members’ creativity and diversity of thought.

SEEKING SUBMISSIONS for The Agora, Volume 8
PLATO members are invited to submit original works for the 2023 edition of The Agora in the following three categories: Poetry, Non-Fiction (including essays) and Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, drawing and photography). This is a blind juried review and the deadline for submissions is Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Click here to learn more and submit your work.

To view highlights from this past season, click on The Agora Features button below.

CURRICULUM

WINTER COURSES
NEXT WEEK! On Tuesday, December 13 the Winter Course Schedule will be posted to the Courses Page and registration will open.

NEXT MONTH! Most Winter Courses will begin during the week of January 9.

SPECIAL EVENTS

BREAKFAST GATHERING
THIS WEEK! Second Friday, December 9 at 9:30am, join fellow PLATO members and guests for breakfast and conversation at at Lakeside Street Coffee House in the Bay Creek neighborhood. Seating is on both the main floor and downstairs levels. You will need to climb nine steps in order to be seated on the downstairs level. RSVP and learn more here.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED...
Breakfasts are our only special event offerings at the moment. This is because several years ago we had to cancel a December theater trip when a blizzard made travel unsafe – which resulted in a hefty deficit in PLATO’s budget. This makes us reluctant to schedule trips during peak winter months.

Fortunately, Breakfasts and Lectures will continue during the winter months! And the Special Events Committee is already planning for Theater and Field Trips for Spring, which is why we continue to invite you to join the Special Events Committee (SEC) to help make these plans. 

Just what is involved in this volunteer commitment? Essentially, it is collaborating with other members to plan for and coordinate Theater and Field Trips, Lectures, Walks and Breakfasts. The tasks vary but you will always have the support of other team members. The SEC meets as a whole five times a year to catch up, brainstorm and generally encourage one another. Like to give it a try or learn more? Contact SEC co-chairs, Carla Di Iorio (carlad@tds.net) or Michael Di Iorio (mdiiorio1234@gmail.com).

LECTURES
Choose from a range of archived PLATO Lectures to enjoy from the comfort of home during the chilly months ahead.

EDUCATION FUND UPDATE

'TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE – big thanks to all who have donated this year! 
If you haven't yet and are in a position to share, please consider contributing to PLATO's Education Fund to help PLATO provide scholarships for returning adult students at UW-Madison, as well as supporting the Odyssey Project and other local community programs.

Learn more about this year's scholarship recipients and local community programs and donate online or via snail mail by clicking on the button below. Send questions or comments to Tim Otis: tierneyotis@gmail.com.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS

Select from a range of topics and formats 

for your late Autumn reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for December 6 – 19, 2022

Did You Know…Fifty years ago, psychiatrist John E. Fryer, M.D. electrified his colleagues by telling the 1972 convention of the American Psychiatric Association that he was homosexual. Fryer's announcement came at a time when homosexuality was classified as a mental illness. He wore a head-to-toe disguise, altered his voice, and used the name Dr. Anonymous when making his announcement. It was a dramatic moment in the gay rights movement, and is credited with leading the psychiatric community to no longer classify homosexuality as a mental disorder as of 1973, which led to insurance companies, the US government, and other institutions following suit. 

Visit the Social Justice page for more about Dr. John E. Fryer, M.D. 
or past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).