PLATO Weekly Update

January 3, 2023

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
Most Winter Courses begin next week – some may still have space! Find details on the Courses page. If your course meets in person, be sure to review the COVID-19 Protocols posted in the Curriculum Showcase.

SPECIAL EVENTS

BREAKFAST GATHERING
NEXT WEEK! Second Friday, January 13 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.

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
Check out archived PLATO Lectures on interesting and timely topics.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS

Select from a range of topics and formats 

for your 2023 reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for January 3 – 16, 2023

Did You Know…Freedom House Ambulance Service, formed in 1967 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was the first emergency medical service in the United States staffed by paramedics who had received medical training. They served the predominantly black Hill District of Pittsburgh, and the majority of the staff were African-American. Formed with partial funding from President Johnson’s War on Poverty, Freedom House Ambulance Service established new national and international standards in emergency medical care. They operated until 1975 when the city took over providing emergency ambulance service. 

Visit the Social Justice page for more about Freedom House Ambulance Service
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).