What happens when gaming becomes a platform for cultural connection rather than simply competition?
Tristan Wheeler will address that question each Wednesday throughout July, when he spearheads an inaugural gaming event called Empowering The Culture at Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square. A complementary two-week virtual experience will occur in August.
Wheeler graduated from John Marshall High School in 2001 and enjoyed a 23-year career with the Cleveland Public Library as an audio-visual specialist. He helped secure innovation grants, which led to the development of CPL Play, a community gaming initiative designed to connect Northeast Ohio gamers by providing free access to video games, board games and esports tournaments.
International libraries in Australia and Thailand sought Wheeler’s gaming expertise. He’s also been a speaker at various events, including the 2019 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference in Philadelphia. There, he participated in a panel discussion, entitled, “Esports in K-12: What, Why and How?” Wheeler highlighted Cleveland Public Library’s work in esports, digital learning, community engagement and technology-enabled youth programming.
Amidst Wheeler’s accomplishments, he’s candid about his late diagnosis of autism, which provided otherwise inaccessible opportunities. Wheeler advocates for those on the spectrum who enjoy the gaming experience.
Wheeler started his own company in 2022, called INFINITEQUE (meaning infinite technology). INFINITEQUE is about designing spaces where people feel welcomed, valued and able to fully participate. Storytelling, esports leagues, creative technology programs and community events embolden the initiative to explore how games culture can strengthen mentorship, digital equity and community empowerment.
Empowering The Culture is a component of INFINITEQUE and will unite gamers, artists, creators, educators, families and community members and will occur each Wednesday in July at Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square. Wheeler’s collaboration with the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival helped secure the venue, where each week will be built around a different theme. During Week 1, on July 8, they explored the origins of Cleveland’s gaming culture. In future weeks:
Week 2 (July 15): Creativity and Cultural Expression
Week 3 (July 22): Gamership, Wellness and Humanity
Week 4 (July 29): Career Pathways and the Future of Gaming in Cleveland
Week 5 (August 5) and Week 6 (August 12 ), will occur online to expand participation opportunities. The event will include a recap of the live adventure and an online tournament.
“Games culture is about people,” said Wheeler. “While gaming is often viewed only as entertainment, it can also create opportunities for leadership development, teamwork, creativity, technical skills and relationship-building.”
At 4 p.m., patrons can gather in the Atlas Cinemas lobby for GamerGen and record their gaming culture story. GamerGen has a dual meaning. It can symbolize belonging to the generation of gamers or the understanding that every person into playing games has their own “gamer genealogy,” shaped by their console, stories, music, characters and communities that influenced their life. The film footage will morph into a documentary, entitled, “GamerGen: Where Stories Emerge.”
At 4:30 p.m., Technologic Live begins in the theater. There, guest speakers will deliver keynotes on various topics, including gaming culture in Cleveland, identity and community.
At 6 p.m., guests have two choices. They can return to the lobby and participate in GamerHaven Commons, designed to steward a shared gaming experience through fairness, structure and community-centered engagement. The second option is to experience the Nexus Gaming League, which is the flagship competitive league of Infinitique. This high-energy gaming competition will occur on the big screen, feature music and commentary and is designed for newcomers and veterans alike.
Melanie Gloerfelt Townsend is collaborating with Wheeler to present Empower The Culture. A mother of two boys, ages 9 and 10, until last year, she enforced a “no-screens, no video games at home” policy. Last year, she met Robert Gatewood (an Empower The Culture week 4 presenter), who convincingly spoke about how video games could be beneficial to the development of her kids – helping them rehearse big feelings and learning how to fail and be resilient.
“These are really hard things for parents to teach their kids.I truly believe that there is good to be found in video games,” Gloerfelt Townsend said. “They are a vector for building community and are a relatable way for kids to learn about civic engagement.”
Local indie music artist, Prince Ish, who performed at Wade Oval Wednesdays on July 8, was also an Empowering The Culture contributor during Week 2.
“I believe Games Culture raised me and helped me process the world around me growing up,” said Ish. “I want to be a part of creating and maintaining spaces where people can be themselves and explore creativity. I believe Empowering The Culture gives the community this option.”
We're celebrating four years of amplifying resident voices from Cleveland's neighborhoods. Will you make a donation to keep our local journalism going?
