A little more about L3

One day in mid-2023, three friends were talking, after a Pilates class, about some subjects they were curious and confused about, and how they wished there was a place they could ask the questions that society often says shouldn’t be asked or talked about in polite society. A place where there could be a discussion, rather than a lecture. Maybe where people could all sit around a table, everyone on the same level, and talk openly and honestly about things they don’t understand. As they continued to discuss their thoughts – openly and honestly – the idea for what has become L3 started to form.

Nashville Social Club in Carson City, Nevada, with its inclusive slogan of “Love All Y’all,” is the perfect partner for what L3 is trying to achieve, and their generosity and support for our ideas makes it the perfect place for these get-togethers. With few exceptions, we meet every first Sunday of the month at 4 p.m. and the conversations seem to be running for about an hour and a half (you’re welcomed to continue any conversations afterwards on your own). There will be one host (or maybe multiple down the line, who knows) for each night, who is there to share themselves with all of us, and to answer any questions we might have. The goal is simply to have honest conversations. No one will be standing at the front of the room presenting. We’ll all just be sitting around a table, with water, iced tea, and appetizers provided (you can order a meal or other drinks separately), so we can easily see and acknowledge each other and have a conversation. Everyone will be on the same level, literally and figuratively, and it will be a safe and respectful space for all involved.

Are you wondering who might host these events and what kind of subjects might be talked about? Well, the sky’s the limit, really. We’ve discussed subjects like: addicts, people who identify as “they/them,” police officers, same-sex couples, interracial relationships, unhoused people, immigrants, people in service industries, people with ‘invisible’ diseases … if it’s a subject, lifestyle, profession, or situation you’ve ever found yourself confused about and/or wishing you knew someone who would talk with you honestly about it, well, that’s the exact environment we’d like to foster with L3. If you know someone who might make a good future host, please let us know! Likewise, if you would like to attend one of these get-together and there is a subject you are curious about, please reach out via our online form and let us know and we will do our best to find someone who is willing to have a conversation with us.

These get-togethers will provide the opportunity for you to ask questions you might be afraid to ask out in ‘the real world.’ So long as the questions come from a place of kindness and desire to understand, the wording shouldn’t matter too terribly much, and part of the process will also be learning proper language and terminology and how to be the most respectful and best person and ally you can be. L3 events will help us better understand the perspectives of people around us. To be better people and allies and, by extension, make the world a better place.

As we go along with a hopefully successful model, the details may change, but the goals will remain the same: to listen with compassion, learn through conversation, and love our communities.