Past AAUW President Loretto Bellicini and current President Ellen Di Placido gave an invited presentation at the AAUW State Convention, held June 3-5 in Harrisburg, PA. Titled "Fluidly Navigating around COVID Obstacles," they explained our branch strategies for staying engaged and connected in a period of social isolation.

As they explained, "Our presentation looks at the new way of doing things at AAUW Erie. Initially to get by. Then as routine. It began in March of 2020. Our speaker for our monthly program was informed by her employer, a medical school, that she was not permitted to speak before a live audience because of COVID. We were forced to cancel our programs for the rest of the year. Over the summer of 2020 the incoming president and program chair explored ways and means to overcome the COVID obstacle. This would affect every aspect of the Branch's functions. With imagination and creativity that we didn't know we had, we elevated the performance of our branch to a new dimension."