I would describe myself as a Feminist since attending one of the early National Women's Liberation Conferences in London in 1974 at ULU (University of London Union). The first having been in Oxford in 1970. It was amazing to feel the solidarity and to go on to participate in the broader Women's Liberation movement, to decide to learn a trade, and to engage in Women Only culture which had such a positive effect particularly, in addition, on male friends who, it would seem out of a kind of panic at becoming unnecessary(!!) started to shape up, do the washing up, volunteer to do childcare at Women's events , and to start up or join 'Anti-sexism Men's Groups'. There was this amazing flow to life at that time with a glut of empty properties malingering to such an intolerable extent that a band of us started a Campaign to get them re-utilised, the Empty Properties Group, which led to the birth of a Housing Movement, 'Short-Life Housing' and a whole methodology to occupying the properties whilst charging ourselves rent and then going on at organised meetings to decide which Charity we wished to support from the proceeds. I got a chance to practice my manual labour skills and was a member of a women-only household. In another part of the area was an entire street which was women-only. Also around that time the pacifist Anti-nuclear movement was going on and Women took strong leads in this realm too. But it was the way of working from caucases in both arenas that appealed to me. Endeavouring to obtain concensus on issues and ways of organising and the fact that we went on to employ staff and were so successful that eventually the whole model was absorbed by the Council that I'm most proud of. I actually feel a connection with the spirit of those times here behind the endeavour of Airbnb.
It was my daughter's idea that we start a Listing on Airbnb once we finished converting the attic. She had the main room as our primary Listing and I took on a second for the back room at the top as a supplement for when a couple might have children in tow. We have both enjoyed the experience and may go on to List jointly just so that we can utilise the 'Linked Listings' option for the two spaces, though it will be sad to lose the Reviews that we've each had. We have experimented with 'Women only' space' and are consolidating our offerings.
The next stage for me is participating here in this well supported Community Centre exploring the ways forward. Might this be more orientated towards self-help with effective automation and management and oversight of that?
I am aware of the need to have an effective and responsive but affordable workforce and one that is motivated and satisfied. I know we have issues currently and ideas of reappraising and re-modelling and being a part of that swirls around in my mind as I get to know other participants and Hosts here in the Community Centre and contemporaneously we have the creation of a HAB Group #HostAdvisoryBoard
forming a think tank that will become a responsive force likely to see us through some forms of re-shaping, trialling and re-organising to get things right in this enlightened company that to my mind serve as our "Agents". I think there is a need to move closer to that model now with Members seeing ourselves as part of the Management and in taking responsibilty for solutions and positive ways forward.
Thank you Catherine for taking the helm here. It is so lovely to see you. In particular I would like to appreciate the skill you displayed when interviewing the Customer Services Manager calling to account in a very tactful way our expectations whilst also skillfully sharing the challenges faced by that team and revealing to us all the goodwill at the same time.
I am so proud to be a part of this Organisation that is Airbnb and I want to hug each of you. Especially the Originators. I salute you and understand the pressures and challenges that you've faced to keep things going. Well help is at hand. I think the HAB will serve you well and we will all together keep this boat afloat. I do not ever see it sinking................ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx