PLATO Weekly Update

May 9, 2023

ELECTION FOR PLATO 2023-24 BOARD
VOTING CLOSES TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

Online voting is available for the election of officers and two new At-Large PLATO Board members. If you haven't already voted and are a PLATO member, please vote today through the E-Ballot that was emailed to you on April 26. Read about the nominees by clicking on the Nominee Biographies link below. 

CURRICULUM

SUMMER COURSES
NEW! The Summer Course schedule is now available on the Courses webpage and registration is open! Most Summer Courses will begin the week of June 5, with in-person, virtual and hybrid options to choose from.

ARTICLE
Visit the Curriculum Showcase to read "Two decades of Experiencing Great Literature” written by PLATO members as a reflection of a beloved course that recently ended. 

SPECIAL EVENTS

BREAKFAST GATHERING
THIS WEEK! Second Friday, May 12 at 9:30am, join fellow PLATO members and guests for breakfast and conversation at Lakeside Street Coffee House in the Bay Creek neighborhood. Seating is on both the main floor and downstairs levels. You will need to descend a flight of steps in order to be seated on the downstairs level. Learn more and RSVP here.

SPRING WALK
NEXT WEEK! On Friday, May 19th @ 9:30am we will appreciate the gifts of Spring at the Pheasant Branch Conservancy Walk and Lecture.Learn about the addition of a farm and its conversion to a prairie and catch-basins in an attempt to reduce the phosphorus and other contaminants. Learn more and register here.

LECTURES
Join us on Thursday, May 25 at 2:00pm for We Gotta Get Out of this Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War. This presentation by Doug Bradley and the Vets on Frets explores how and why U.S. troops in Vietnam turned to music as a way of connecting to each other and the world back home. This special event will be held at Oakwood Village West Performing Arts Center. Registration is not required and there is free parking. Learn more here. 

Learn something new – explore recorded PLATO Lectures offered by PLATO members and special guests who share their expertise on a variety of important and timely topics.

FIELD TRIP
NEXT MONTH! On Wednesday, June 21 we will celebrate Summer by driving through Wisconsin’s beautiful driftless area to visit Historic Dubuque, Iowa and the Mississippi River Museum. Learn more and register here.

BIKE RIDERS
Check out these self-guided bicycling routes around Madison.

THE AGORA
A juried literary magazine published by PLATO 
celebrates members’ creativity and diversity of thought.

Visit The Agora Features webpage for highlights from this past season, created and curated by fellow PLATO members for your enjoyment. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats 
for your Spring reading, viewing, or listening, 
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for May 9 – 22, 2023 

The Indian Citizenship Act, established on June 2, 1924, was enacted by Congress to grant citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States. However, some states barred Native Americans from voting until 1957. Learn more about the Indian Citizenship Act and the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887 which had devastating on Native American people and their culture.

Visit the Social Justice page for more about the Indian Citizenship Act 
or past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable historic events and 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).