Our communities

Arrakis provides a warm and welcoming environment to those that choose to live in our community. Members living here come from different backgrounds and lived experiences. We find the time to still listen, understand, and engage with each other in a cooperative lifestyle. Everyone has something unique to contribute, and initiative is always encouraged and appreciated to make our home feel like a place to look forward to coming to. “It’s lowkey and pretty chill, but in a good way” – Arrakis 2022

We encourage members to be involved in LGBTQ advocacy and community building inside and outside of Eden’s walls. Eden is actively working to be an anti-racist community. We use a racial and social equity lens in our processes and meetings and we work to unlearn racist actions and ideas.

We recognize and appreciate all of the elder Black queer visionaries that made spaces like Eden possible. All students of any identity are welcomed at Eden. ICC Austin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of their identity. Members who want to call Eden their home should fully understand, support, and respect this community and the reasons for its creation.

Helios is a vibrant house within the ICC community. We consider our home a safe-haven from the stressful and busy life that surrounds us. Because of our love for this space, we are intentional about taking care of both the physical state of the house and the people within it. This means maintaining our community by focusing on cleanliness as well as creating an inviting atmosphere through simple acts like greeting our housemates whenever we see them. Alongside our desire to make everyone feel welcome, we also enjoy planning house activities that vary from movie nights to boat parties. With the addition of new members, the house vibe continues to change and grow (which we encourage!). However, our love and dedication to the house and the people within it remains constant.

New Guild’s members have a common love for music, art and the outdoors. You’ll find some of the members here like to travel, play video games, hike, garden, do yoga and do so much more. We spend time as a community baking, playing sports and searching for new ways to express our creative sides. A good sense of humor is a staple in our home and we welcome anyone that would like to join in on the laughs. This house prides itself on open discussions that speak to the sustainability and maintenance of our planet as well as our house- community. New Guild’s extensive history, long-celebrated traditions and multicultural elements are characteristics that create a rich and diverse environment for anyone with a cooperative spirit!

Ruth Schulze is a space that holds diversity in high regard. Our house members come from all walks of life. No matter what your personality type is, you will likely find people that you mesh well with here. We take pride in how we bond as a community and at the same time, promote individualism and personal space. We have both introverted and extroverted people. Our welcoming environment makes it easy to find people to do many activities with; groups that are big or small we promote it all! However, there is no pressure for you to participate in anything. If you feel like doing stuff with people, you will very likely find someone either by asking around (e. g. at the dinner table in the commons area) or by posting on our many social media platforms!

Members who chose to live in a substance free environment do so for a variety of reasons including health, personal values, family influence, and impact by addiction and recovery in family, friends’ and/or one’s own life. Members who decide to call Ruth Schulze Co-op their home commit to the following agreements.

• Members agree not to use or possess alcohol, tobacco products*, or any illicit/illegal drugs in any space within the house or on house grounds.
• If a member chooses to consume substances while off the premises, respect for the community must be maintained and behavior upon returning home must not negatively impact the community or any individual member.
• Members agree to hold each other accountable and will follow ICC Austin’s conflict resolution process to confront any member who is in violation of the substance free policy.
• Members understand that violation of the substance free policy may result termination of the member resident agreement.

*Tobacco products may be kept in a member’s possession but may not be used in the house or on house grounds.

House of Audre Lorde is a space dedicated to amplifying the voices and narratives of People of Color.  ICC Austin recognizes the ongoing legacy of racial inequity in the United States. Our goal is to provide a community living space that intentionally de-centers the dominant White cultural norms that Students of Color must navigate in their daily life. We envision this to be a supportive, academic, living and learning environment that promotes the health and well-being of its members in all aspects of life.

All students are welcomed to live at House of Audre Lorde. ICC Austin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race. Members who decide to call House of Audre Lorde their home should fully understand and support the vision of the house and the reasons behind its creation. 

As an organization, we acknowledge what we don’t know. This space will allow a new community and its development will be driven by the members with support from our staff. We offer this poem, by Micky ScottBey Jones, as a starting direction for the community.

An Invitation to Brave Space

 Together we will create a brave space,

Because there is no such thing as a “safe space”.

We exist in the real world.

We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.

In this space,

We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,

We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,

We call each other to more truth and love.

We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.

We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.

We will not be perfect.

This space will not be perfect.

It will not always be what we wish it to be

But

It will be our brave space together,

And

We will work on it side by side.