May 23, 2016

Dear Bill, Melinda, and Warren,

I’m both honored and delighted by your invitation to participate in the Giving Pledge.

From the country in which I was born, to the family and educational support I was given, I am keenly aware of the countless privileges in my life. And only in hindsight, of course, do I realize just how many ways I am fortunate.

My parents gave me the incredible gift of supporting any and all of my unconventional interests. They gave me the freedom to pursue my passions, to make mistakes, and find my creative calling in life. Their lives were also a model, as I grew up seeing them forge their own paths as entrepreneurs. They supported me when my path led to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to pursue the arts and design.

RISD sharpened my entrepreneurial and creative intuition and gave me the experience of having this intuition tested, broken down, and built up again. The institution forges creative entrepreneurs, and it’s thanks to RISD I was able to start my own company the day after graduation.

When I started Airbnb in my living room eight years ago, I never would’ve imagined that the company would succeed to such an extent that it would eventually give me the ability to write this letter. Luck and timing aside, the company owes its success to the hard work and dedication of many incredible people over the years.

What I’m most grateful about in Airbnb’s growth is that I’ve been able to see firsthand what happens when you open doors for entrepreneurs on a global scale. I’ve heard stories of people who started hosting out of necessity, then discovered a new source of income, and along the way accumulated a richness of experience and a renewed self-confidence. I’ve been blown away time and time again by the power of entrepreneurship, whether through our hosts, small business owners, or social entrepreneurs. Not only can it provide financial independence, allow people to pursue their passions, and increase people’s belief in themselves; it can also strengthen communities, break down barriers, and forge ties around the world.

I want to devote my resources to bring the moment of instantiation, when someone who has an idea sees it become real, to as many people as I can. It can unlock the understanding that they can make things happen, that they can shape the world around them. I want to enable as many people as possible, especially in underprivileged communities, to experience this magic firsthand. My philanthropic contributions will aim to build pathways for future creatives and entrepreneurs, no matter what their age, gender, or location, to achieve their dreams.