As a Portland native and part-time resident, I've visited and attended events at lots of coworking spaces around town and around the country. When Urban Office opened just up the street from our PDX home, I was eager to check it out – and more than a little curious to see what kind of community would grow here. I got a much better sense of that community at the first-ever Urban Office Town Hall, "Stronger Together."
 
Urban Office member Amy Compton (from Handful Bras and Activewear) was the perfect host-facilitator-motivator for Town Hall 1.0. (Thanks, Amy!) Her willingness to dive in was a reminder I need more often: Our relationships and sense of community benefit when we look up from our devices and have real conversations.
 
We didn't start our Town Hall conversation with a blank slate. In the weeks leading up to Town Hall, we jotted thoughts and requests on a big community board in three categories: 1. Start (new ideas or requests). 2. Stop (things to reconsider). 3. Continue (things we love). In several cases, suggestions were implemented before the first Town HallWe were shaping the community before we ever came together to talk about it.
 
At this first Town Hall, I got to know Urban Office members in ways I hadn't at other community events (happy hours, potlucks). To hear about the diversity of work going on here – what people love about Urban Office, their concerns and their vision for actively shaping the community – blew me away.
 
Based on a post-event recap provided by Community Manager Scott, it's clear we've barely scratched the surface on what we can accomplish together. I can't wait to see where we go from here
 
See you at the next Town Hall!