PLATO Weekly Update

December 20, 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 categories: Poetry, Fiction, 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
Registration for Winter Courses continues – check out the seven Winter Courses being offered on the Courses page. Also, if your course meets in person, be sure to review the COVID-19 Protocols posted in the Curriculum Showcase.

NEW OPPORTUNITY for course coordinators – make a short introductory video to introduce your course and you to your participants. Click here to view a sample video and request instructions from Jayne Fischer.

SPECIAL EVENTS

BREAKFAST GATHERING
CANCELLED! Fourth Friday, December 23 breakfast at Marquette Hotel Café – due to the severe weather forecast.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
PLATO trips are on temporary Winter hiatus but Breakfasts and Lectures will continue! The Special Events Committee (SEC) is making plans for springtime Theater and Field Trips, and invite PLATO members to join in this effort.

What do SEC volunteers do? The tasks vary but one thing remains the same: it is all about collaboration and you will always have the support of other team members. The SEC is a kind, welcoming group that meets five times a year to catch up, brainstorm and 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
Explore archived PLATO Lectures on important and interesting topics.

EDUCATION FUND UPDATE

A HUGE THANK YOU – to all the PLATO members who have donated this year! If you haven't given yet and would like to contribute, please know that a donation of any size helps 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 early Winter reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for December 20, 2022 – January 2, 2023

Did You Know… Maria W. Stewart (1803 – December 17, 1879) is known as America’s first black woman political writer. She was a Connecticut free-born African-American teacher, journalist, lecturer, evangelist, abolitionist, and women's rights activist. Stewart was a pioneer by her speaking to mixed audiences of men and women, white and black. She was also a trail-blazer as the first African-American woman to make public lectures, and to lecture about women's rights, and publicly speak against slavery.

Visit the Social Justice page for more about Maria W. Stewart
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).