Astralab has been told to vacate by the owners of the building, we have less than thirty days before we’re forced out.

ACTION STEPS TO SUPPORT ASTRALAB~ If you’re part of a reputable organization, send a letter of support to us and our landlord describing Astralab’s cultural value/community impact to Los Angeles. → Email: astralab33@gmail.com for details and address

~ Share a testimonial about what Astralab has meant to you — stories matter→ We may feature these publicly. Drop here, on our Google Reviews or email to astralab33@gmail.com 

~ If you have press connections, help us amplify this story→ We need visibility to create public accountability

This gofundme will pay for all the millions of things related to a potential transition. 

Every contribution helps sustain the space + community

~ Come to our events over the next month / invite friends. Volunteer to help some of our events

~ Contribute to our community art showcase April 13-17th. Art for our walls, poetry, stay tuned for more details. 

~ Artists, poets, musicians: share a piece dedicated to Astralab and tag us→ Help us seed the collective imagination

~ If you’ve documented events at Astralab (photo/video), share them→ Help tell the story of what exists here

~ Volunteer your skills (PR, legal, grant writing, organizing, media outreach)

~ Introduce us to aligned sponsors or donors who believe in cultural spaces

And most importantly, Pray for us….

We know whatever comes next for us is blessed. This is an important time for the world, and we are deciding to fight this because it is a representation of what’s happening —without our consent— all over this world, in our homelands. This petition to save the physical Astralab is also a spiritual petition to change the direction our world is heading in… And a chance to re-tell a bit of our story: 

This special space is a container for the energy and spirits of the two human beings who started it, Christina Lila Wilson, and myself, Yusuf Misdaq. We came to the space in 2024 and helped revive this building, which was basically dead when we arrived (a victim of the post-COVID LA commercial zombie zone) — with events that gave space for diaspora wisdom art, music and culture. Astralab has been the culmination of both of our life’s work and experiences. We have both put our own lives on hold to be able to honor its gift, and we hear time and time again (literally even last night) just how much it has meant to the people that walk in.

The buzz around the building and new tenants started coming as the ripple effect of our events began taking effect all over Los Angeles. We even had a few celebrities come through. It’s been amazing to watch it happen, our social media blew up, diaspora and an endless stream of amazing MENA/SWANA businesses and artists began contacting us — and we said yes to pretty much everything. 

If you’ll forgive the indulgence for a moment: this buildings pathetic attempt to push us out really hits home for me; I had grown somewhat hard-hearted as an independent “outsider” artist who never felt support (financial or otherwise) for my work, my visions, especially from spaces and entities that never considered my temperament as an artist (ie not a diva, but a highly sensitive soul). Initially, I just wanted Astralab to be the thing I never had for other artists, a place of warmth and hospitality and inspiration. But it quickly became more than that, more than anything one or two of us could envision. It became a true Community — something I had told myself that I didn’t need, didn’t want, etc. Before I knew it, and through Christina’s (literally tireless) efforts, Astralab became a place that had “regulars”. The regulars became friends. The friends felt at home here. 

We were empowered by your love for this space that we had so lovingly created and curated, and we were emboldened to offer more creative and unique offerings that weren’t the usual cookie-cutter events, but focused deeply on healing, on connecting with traditions that weren’t just being touched on, or glazed over, but embodied and taught by leaders in living connection ~ ancient lineages ~ Sufi chains of transmission that led back to the time of Prophecy, Ayurvedic mastery that circled the loop from ancient India all the way to present day diaspora life/pain, Ancient Iranian wisdom to reconnect the LA Iranian community with some of its deepest and most profound spiritual traditions. 

We saw the best in everyone, we stood firm when we lost thousands of followers and even more dollars because of our stance + decision to actively speak up about the genocide in Gaza / Palestine when a lot of other businesses like ours were choosing not to. We made drinks with our hands, we welcomed each person, we strived to embody the highest level of hospitality — something that would make our parents and lineage proud. 

And now, at the most critical time in the world, with our lands from South America to the Middle-East being ransacked, attacked and bombed mercilessly by Western imperialist forces, with legacy mainstream media completely turning a blind eye to illegality and immorality, we are told (without legitimate evidence or any investigation) that we have caused “disturbances” in the building and that we need to vacate in a little over a month. Meanwhile, the owners of the building — which houses mostly liberal / artistic people (aside from Astralab also overwhelmingly white) — will benefit from what we created when this place was a dead zone, inherit the permanent decorations and vibes and love that everyone feels when they come through here and use it for their lame and unimaginative corporate ends. To be clear, the vibe in Astralab is a direct result of prayer, intentions, and the dhikr (devotional chanting) that is constantly done at Astralab when no one else is around. They want to kick us out and then give it to some other fancy swanky client? No thank you.

We have had enough of our culture being pillaged, our originality being stolen, our energy being vampired by unimaginative beasts whose only interests are in taking, while our goal and very being has been to give. 

We simply refuse to allow people who treat us like we’re nothing (when we have brought so much life to our space and created a beautiful community) to get away getting without a fight.

So we will fight. And we pray that this - our fight - can become an example to everyone, a visual landmark moment for the shifting tides of power that are happening amongst normal awake people everywhere — and  that we say clearly in one voice: we are not going to be passive anymore. Our kindness is wisdom, not weakness. Our wisdom is strength and intelligence. 

You will be hearing more from us in the media. In the meantime, support us in any way that you can, write here about what Astralab has meant to you, what Astralab represents to you, how its absence would be felt. Please share it, and share this link to connect us with *anyone* who can amplify our story, who are willing to use their voice to stand up and say something. We we'll share a page soon to help us financially by buying items from our online store so we can keep going no matter what.