Lawrence Cooperative Living: Opening the Door to the Ad Astra House

As soon as I walked up the rainbow steps of the Ad Astra house, my lazy Saturday morning was swept up in a whirlwind by the members of the cooperative living space. They welcome me with open arms and a cup of coffee; someone already brewed a pot for the house members preparing for their Fall Carnival later that day.

The kitchen — full of conversation, Dollar Tree decorations, and bowls full of vegan cookie batter — was a typical scene for this community living space. Also known as co-ops, residents in houses like Ad Astra regularly hold events like this one. They promote engagement with the larger community while building their own, among 10 bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The resident are young people brought together not only by their shared responsibilities (each person is required to attend the weekly house meetings and complete assigned chores), but also their commitment to a common theme: personal expression and activism. Samm Powell, the occupancy chair at Ad Astra, emphasizes the co-ops’ importance of dedication to minority rights, especially being a “queer-centered” home because of the recognized need for that space.

“We stand for radical queerness rooted in the destruction of cis white heteronormative patriarchy and capitalism. This might sound radical to some people, but it’s a reality for people like me that are trans,” says Powell.

Kincaid Dennett, a recent graduate from the KU School of Anthropology and house executive member, leads the house in activism with their position at local non-profit organization Kansas Appleseed. They often invite other members to events they organize at the Lawrence Public Library, ranging from education on immigration policy to education reform in the local school district, USD 497. They believe in change through action, so they say their commitment to inclusivity makes the Ad Astra application process different from that of most other co-ops.

“We don’t check your credit, we don’t care what your job is, as long as you’re able to pay rent every month. We take you for who you are when you come. The board members are really just looking for folks who care about sharing space and creating radical alternatives to landlord situations,” says Dennett.

Ad Astra has never had to evict someone because of bad behavior or inability to pay rent, contrary to what people tend to expect from this kind of admissions process. Dennett says the focus on someone’s potential - rather than their past - acts as a sort of positive reinforcement that inspires more community ties. The activism from Ad Astra house members is a lived reality for those who feel more empowered through community to be more outspoken against injustice. It stays true to the mission of the organization that runs Ad Astra: the People’s Owned and Operated Cooperative Housing. POOCH was started in 1941 by students, professors, and local business people to “pursue and uphold anti-oppressive practices,” according to their website. Over a half century later, Powell, Dennett and others continue to make this mission a lived reality.