We Care Tucson cut the ribbon this month on Desert Byte, a free internet café aimed at closing the digital divide for Tucson residents who lack reliable access to computers and broadband.

We Care Tucson is a nonprofit that aims to expand access to technology, provide STEM-based learning experiences and promote e-recycling across Southern Arizona. The group works to expand youth STEM and workforce development pathways via summer camps, computer classes and workshop days.

We Care Tucson CEO MeMe Aguila had been thinking about opening a cyber café for a while, saying the idea was sparked years ago during a discussion about what to do with some empty building space.

"It seemed like a natural thing that fit," Aguila said.

The café is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, operating outside of We Care Tucson's regular business hours. It will have designated youth hours daily from 3 to 5 p.m. and adult-only hours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Desert Byte will also host a youth Dungeons & Dragons program on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. The café was designed to be more than just a place to use computers, it's a space for adults and children to make connections.

"We want people here to hang out," said We Care Tucson board member Eryn Neff. "How can we reach the people who don't have access to a computer or access to a proper phone? We came up with the idea of a café where people can use these things for free."

Matthew Dunkel, vice president of the board, posted about his excitement for the café on social media.

"(It's) a place where people can come gather, use free technology, have coffee, have treats, talk about things, walk through things. And if people have questions, we have staff on-duty that can help answer these questions," Dunkel said.

We Care Tucson's board was involved in the opening of the café, designing the interior and ensuring that people had a safe place to use technology for free. A big part of the process was removing any potential stress for parents regarding their child's internet access.

"(I worked on) trying to make sure the actual core of it, the internet itself is there and available. The internet is important to the internet café," said Chief Technology Officer Coleman Hammer-Tomizuka.

Hammer-Tomizuka helped ensure that access to potentially harmful websites, such as gambling sites or the dark web, was blocked and entirely unavailable to those using the café.

While the café's computers offer similar functions to a library computer, We Care Tucson hopes to provide additional support to those who may require help, with on-site technology professionals being just one key resource Desert Byte hopes to provide.

"If people go to university — have the money to go to university — they have a lot of resources. But imagine people who are not going to university. They are just regular people working at a job, and they need access to computers. So, I think that can be kind of challenging," Neff said.

She said many jobs and applications require programs such as Adobe, which can be too expensive to justify if only used occasionally.

"People need this to start applying for jobs, to start applying for school," Neff said.

The idea behind Desert Byte has always been rooted in community needs, reflecting a call for better, free internet access for Tucson residents.

"We're excited to give this community a place to have access to broadband and have access to computers that work," said Board President Gordon Stewart.

Aguila said she has high hopes for the internet café and believes that providing a space like Desert Byte is necessary for the success of both youth and adults alike. She said opening the café would not have been possible without the help of the community and that she can't wait to see how it grows.

Aguila has seen We Care Tucson's summer camps grow from 18 to 30 attendees in a single year, eventually requiring a waitlist after enrollment topped 50 kids. She said that sometimes things just take time.

That growth, she said, has come almost entirely through word of mouth — which is exactly why she's hoping the community helps spread news of Desert Byte, too.

"Help spread the word, that's the biggest thing. That's been one of our hardest things, is getting the word out," Aguila said.

The youth Dungeons & Dragons club will hold its first meeting August 22, with more classes and programs to come. Additional information can be found on We Care Tucson's website.

Gabrielle Cotnoir is a University of Arizona journalism student and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at gabriellecnews@gmail.com.

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