I first heard of Unit 2 from someone I met at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival in 2018. He was from Toronto, and I was going to move there in just three months. Naturally, I asked him where I should go to find queer hangouts in Toronto. The first place he mentioned was Unit 2.

My first time visiting Unit 2 was for the release of Issue 21 of Upping the Anti. I found myself at a dance party with nobody I knew, in a very intimate setting with nowhere to hide. I remember opening the copy of Upping the Anti I was given at the door, then sitting down on the sofa and pretending to read while I was actually looking at all these queer lefties dancing together. It was beautiful.

Unit 2 is a place where people come to feel connected. It’s a place where people come to perform, participate, and party. It’s a place people come to organize. Since 2008, Unit 2 has been holding space for community arts, culture, and politics to flourish.

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