Tamera Middlebrooks is not your conventional software engineer. The Detroit native didn’t come from a traditional STEM background. She grew up in a low-income household, reluctant to face adversity while navigating an unknown career trajectory. Imposter syndrome began permeating Middlebrook’s mental, yet a sprout of passion sprouted in her soul. Despite choosing to nurture her inner voice, a supportive community was crucial in showing determination. “My dad would encourage my sister and me. He suggested that we learn more about coding and software because, to him, it was really important for us to be secure in our career path,” Middlebrooks commented. Sometimes, a gentle nudge from those around us makes all the difference. Then, we soar.
The 25-year-old committed to coding when she was 22, after registering for the Per Scholas software engineering bootcamp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-enrollment, Middlebrooks still imagined her professional future as a community organizer. “I experienced a kind of big shift in mindset. Or, I guess you can call it a [quarter-life] crisis,” she shared with GU. The blossoming engineer then came across Per Scholas’ apprenticeship, which listed all of the skill sets trainees would be able to gain during the program’s progression, including web development and game design. The initiative piqued Middlebrooks’ interest, and she applied. However, the emerging leader in STEM admitted to being waitlisted before experiencing the opportunity of a lifetime. But she didn’t let that hinder her.
“The bootcamp was a really big turning point for me, where I learned a lot of technical skills and JavaScript. [JavaScript] was the first coding language I ever learned,” Middlebrooks stated. Fast forward to 2025, she is one of Apple’s 2025 Swift Student Challenge winners, a global competition that invites students to leverage Apple’s Swift coding language to create app playgrounds and learn real-world skills. While partaking in the Apple Developer Academy in Detroit, Middlebrooks programmed her winning app, Sway, solo. Inspired by her 2020 vestibular balance disorder diagnosis, Middlebrooks created Sway to support those who face the same condition. “When I first started physical therapy, my doctor suggested that I download a physical therapy app. But my experience using the app was very sterile, and it just wasn’t that great for me,” Middlebrooks revealed.
However, her desire to cultivate change in mobile health apps prevailed. “I wanted [the apps] to be less clinical and more human,” the app developer said. Sway’s features include uplifting animations and a calming visual design to drive ongoing utilization. Middlebrook’s win paved the way for her opportunity at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, where she presented the app in front of Apple CEO Tim Cook. “The way she’s turned her personal experience into something that helps others is truly inspiring. Tamera’s ingenuity and values embody the promise of the next generation of American developers and the meaningful impact they’re making in people’s lives,” Cook vocalized.
Beyond coding, Middlebrooks has a passion for environmental justice work and ethical tech. She’s currently working on her own sustainable software startup, Postage, to facilitate real change within the community. The engineer plans to partner with small businesses to help make their delivery practices more sustainable while reducing environmental impact. Postage is currently undergoing beta testing. “I would love to be an inspiration for other Black girls who want to pursue this career. If I could just be a source of support, that would be a very emotional, yet important thing for me,” Middlebrooks said.