ST. PETERSBURG, FL — After a brief hiatus, the Third Place's "Opposites Attract" debate series is returning to St. Petersburg with an evening designed to get people talking — and listening — to one another.
The next debate-style event takes place Thursday at Voodoo Brewing Co., 220 4th Street N.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with debating beginning at 7 p.m.
Audience debate teams will take on the topic "AI: Embrace It or Protect Ourselves from It."
The headline debate will feature Kevin Batdorf, former Shore Acres Neighborhood Association president and former 2026 St. Pete mayoral candidate, and Florida state Rep. Lindsey Cross will take on this topic: "Amendment 3: Property Tax Relief or a Cost to Our Communities"
Founded by Julie Rocco and Caryn Nesmith, who have more than 50 years combined of community-building and engagement experience, The Third Place creates spaces where people can connect outside of home and work, meet others with different perspectives, and engage in meaningful conversation.
As they sought the framework needed for their debate series, they quickly landed on the concept of the "third place."
The concept comes from sociologist Ray Oldenburg's idea of a "third place" — informal gathering spaces such as coffee shops, libraries, parks and other community spots where people can interact without the roles and expectations that come with home or work.
"We thought, what's a framework that we can use in order to manifest social connection and mitigate social division? The 'third place' is that framework for us," Rocco told Patch. "The idea is that your first place is home, where you have your most intimate connections and see it as a refuge, and there's an expectation of what will occur in your home, and you get to control that."
She continued, "The second place is work, where a lot of people spend the majority of their time, but it's a very structured environment with an expectation of roles, responsibilities, possibly even a uniform, and you're being told how you will show up and what will occur in this space. And it can be a bit transactional, in that you do this to get paid and benefits, though hopefully people are working in places that bring them passion, as well."
Then, there's that "third place," informal places, "where you're not coming in with the status, you're not coming in with the title," Rocco said. "You're going to see people that you know; maybe you're in a coffee shop and the baristas may recognize you and know your name … The biggest thing about a 'third place' is that individuals feel a sense of belonging when they're in these places, that you're not having to earn your right; you're not applying for the job. There's not a key to the house to unlock the door to get in."
Through its debate series, the Third Place, as a community organization, takes the sociological concept a step further by creating opportunities for what they call "transformational connection," Rocco said. "All we're asking people to do is show up with your opinion, debate your opinion, but also to lean in, or lean back, and listen, as well."
Rather than focusing on politically charged issues, the debates start with topics that can inspire strong opinions without necessarily carrying high stakes.
The format eventually moves into more substantive discussions, with prepared speakers taking on topics, though the goal isn't necessarily to determine a winner.
"We aren't positioning anyone to win an argument," Rocco said. "We want people to approach disagreements with humility and curiosity. We hope they might leave with a new perspective or insight."
Nesmith said the need for those kinds of spaces has become increasingly apparent as people spend more time in social and technological "silos."
"I know for me, my friends generally think the way that I do, and I'm in a lot of affinity spaces around a lot of topics," she told Patch, adding, "We're losing it, or we don't have as much opportunity around [meaningful connection], and so we're just providing the forum for that."
The Third Place also plans to host smaller "living room" gatherings, bringing people together around a particular topic for facilitated conversations.
Rocco and Nesmith envision people with different backgrounds and viewpoints sitting together, discussing ideas and learning how to navigate disagreement without turning it into division.
"We're taking a chance to bring something new to our community," Rocco said.
They also hope to highlight existing third places throughout St. Petersburg and eventually develop the conceptso that it can be replicated in other communities.
"We hope this will be a national model," Nesmith said.
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