By Lin Green
Some of the most important conversations don’t happen on stages.They happen in circles. Around tables. In rooms where people are willing to listen just as much as they are willing to speak.
In a time where it often feels easier to scroll past each other than to sit with one another, spaces that invite real dialogue aren’t just valuable. They’re necessary. That’s what makes these monthly speakeasy gatherings so meaningful.
Created and led by Deanna Schott of the Seminole County League of Women Voters, these gatherings were designed with intention. Not just to bring women together, but to create a space where conversation feels safe, respectful, and grounded in curiosity rather than division. Alongside League members Ashley Bohlender and myself, the conversations are facilitated in a way that encourages thoughtful dialogue and meaningful connection.
And the setting could not be more fitting. Tucked away at Crown Alley Speakeasy in Lake Mary, located at 7055 County Road 46A, the experience begins before the conversation even starts. You will not find a traditional front door. Instead, you will find something a little more unexpected and, honestly, a little more fun. A red phone booth quietly waiting at the rear of the pub. Step inside, and you will understand why the word speakeasy still carries a bit of magic.
Because that is exactly what these gatherings are meant to feel like. A hidden space for honest conversation. Each month, women come together for small group discussions where the topics are chosen by those in the room. Yes, you choose the topics. Trained facilitators then guide the conversation with care, research, and intention, ensuring that dialogue remains open, respectful, and rooted in fact.
Because let’s be honest. Most of us don’t need another place to talk at each other. We need spaces where we can talk with each other.
What makes these gatherings powerful is not just the conversation itself, but the willingness to show up. To listen. To consider perspectives that may be different from our own. To engage without the pressure of having all the answers. And perhaps most importantly, to remember that connection is still possible.
Upcoming gathering dates include:
May 21, 2026
June 11, 2026
July 16, 2026
August 20, 2026
September 17, 2026
October 15, 2026
To register for an upcoming session, visit the League of Women Voters of Seminole County website under the Events section at lwvseminole.org .
In a world that often feels loud, divided, and quick to respond, these moments invite us to slow down. To think. To engage. To be present. Because real dialogue does not happen in noise. It happens in intention.
If you have been looking for a space where your voice matters, where conversation is welcomed, and where community is built one discussion at a time, consider this your invitation. Find the red phone booth. Step inside. Pull up a chair.
