A new nonprofit for LGBTQ+ gamers is launching in Chicago, aiming to build an inclusive community through play and technology.
Gotham Gaming, founded by Jonny Saldana and Clementina Salucci, will host its official launch party Oct. 10 at Kinowerks, 5645 N. Ravenswood Ave., in Ravenswood. The evening will feature video gaming stations, tabletop play, community partners and an open bar sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Red Bull.
The group quietly debuted this summer when it partnered with Twitch and the Twitch Latin Guild at the Chicagoland Community Meetup, where Gotham Gaming allowed attendees to try out PlayStation 5 Pro and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles at its gaming stations.
Saldana called the first outing a promising start in the soon-to-be-nonprofit’s journey.
“Chicago is our Gotham,” Saldana said. “This is a city for hustlers, artists, dreamers, and misfits—people of different backgrounds to come together. That’s a big part of what we’re doing: bringing folks together across communities under one big tent.”
For Salucci, the work is personal, drawing on her experience running an esports league in Chicago. But unlike competitive esports leagues, Gotham Gaming isn’t about scores or rankings.
“There are plenty of organizations doing organized play at a high level,” Salucci said. “Our focus is really about creating a space where people can connect over the hobby on a personal, deeply interpersonal level.”
She added that growing up in a conservative household where gaming was “exclusively for a very specific type of boy,” she wasn’t encouraged to participate. Gotham Gaming, she explained, is her way of reclaiming that culture and opening the door for others who felt excluded.
Beyond in-person events, the group is cultivating a Discord server to help members find co-op partners and connect without the hostility queer players often face online.
The organization’s ambitions go further than game nights. Gotham Gaming is preparing projects that combine play with tangible support, including:
- Project Paperclip — providing laptops and internet hotspots to bridge the digital divide.
- Project Save Point — distributing mutual aid for rent, groceries and other essentials.
- Project Saturn — an eight-week STEM course in game design and coding for high school students.
- Project Horizon — bringing gaming experiences to children during hospital stays.
- Project Blue Shell — rewarding students facing adversity with Nintendo Switch consoles, gift cards and school supplies
Saldana previously founded the Charlotte Gamers Network in 2020, which grew into one of the country’s largest LGBTQ+ gaming nonprofits during his leadership.
Gotham Gaming’s Gamer Gatherings include stations where people can play Play Station 5 or Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. Photo provided by Gotham Gaming
He said that experience taught him how to scale quickly and gave him the tools to build Gotham Gaming with both ambition and sustainability in mind.
“Unlike a lot of other nonprofits that are starting from scratch…we know what works, and we’re building something truly original to Chicago,” Saldana said.
Salucci said the group is branding itself as a Chicagoland nonprofit, with suburban gamers already reaching out to host events.
“We really want this to be a space where people feel safe to show up as you are, where you are in your journey,” Salucci said.
Ultimately, the pair see Gotham Gaming as part of a broader movement to redefine what community looks like.
“We want to build a lasting, inclusive community where anyone can explore games, creativity and connection without barriers,” Salucci said.
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