One Computer. A World of Possibilities. How Techquity Helped Tia Turn Dreams into Action.
November 3, 2026
For Tia Truss, getting a computer from United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County's Techquity initiative was about much more than having a new piece of technology. It was about access. Access to education, new opportunities, a career, and dreams she had once put aside.
And what started as an opportunity to change her own life has grown into something even bigger: the ability to help change the lives of others.
As a mother raising twins, Tia made education a priority. She encouraged her children to pursue their dreams, even though she had never finished her own high school education. Years of parenting, personal challenges, and significant health obstacles had put her goals on hold.
But when her children graduated from high school, something changed.
Watching them reach an important milestone made Tia reflect on her own dreams. She realized there were things she still wanted to accomplish, too.
"I didn't know that I still had dreams," Tia recalled. "Things that I would want for myself, not separate as a parent, but things that I wanted to achieve personally."
She started searching for ways to continue her education, eventually discovering a program through the Milwaukee Public Library that allowed her to earn her high school diploma. Completing that milestone only made her want to go further.
Then she discovered United Way's Techquity initiative.
A computer opened the door. Tia walked through it.
After finding the Techquity program on United Way's website, Tia applied and qualified for a computer. That computer quickly became an essential tool in transforming what was possible.
She enrolled at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), ultimately earning an associate degree in community engagement in May 2026. She also became a certified family dispute mediator and began building her professional work in conflict resolution.
With her computer, Tia was able to facilitate her first paid workshops, teaching conflict resolution and effective listening skills through Wisconsin Literacy.
Today, she's continuing her education, pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science, with plans to keep expanding her professional opportunities.
Reflecting on what having a computer has meant to her, Tia describes it as life changing.
"It was access," she explained. "I was able to access a life and opportunities that I didn't even know existed."
Turning opportunity into impact.
But Tia's story doesn't stop with her own accomplishments.
For the past decade, she and her sister have led a community outreach effort called Mom's Bag Lunch. What began with a simple desire to help a family struggling to find food has grown into years of feeding children, organizing back-to-school giveaways, hosting resource fairs, and connecting underserved families with community resources.
Tia understands firsthand how much access and opportunity can change someone's direction in life. That's why she wanted to share that same opportunity with children in her community.
In May 2026, working through Mom's Bag Lunch, Tia partnered with United Way's Techquity initiative to help bring computers to the families of fifth-grade students at Keefe Elementary School who were preparing to enter middle school.
She wanted these students to experience the possibilities that access to technology had created for her.
"I know what access can do for someone," she said. "And I know what access can turn your life around."
The students received more than computers. Tia and her sister also provided backpacks and books to help keep them engaged over the summer.
For Tia, it was a chance to give other young people something she knows can make a tremendous difference.
When access creates possibility, possibility creates more opportunity.
Tia's journey is a powerful example of what Techquity is all about. Technology isn't simply about owning a device. It's about having the tools to learn, work, connect, build a career, and participate fully in today's world.
One computer helped Tia return to school, earn a degree, launch professional opportunities, and continue pursuing her dreams. It also helped her expand the work she's doing to support families and young people throughout Milwaukee.
And she's not finished yet.
Tia is continuing her education, growing her career, and finding new ways to serve her community. Her story reminds us that when we remove barriers and connect people with the resources they need, the impact can reach far beyond one individual.
As Tia puts it, having access to technology helped her step into everything she desired and every dream she wanted to pursue.
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