Each February, we celebrate Black History Month at Dropbox through a series of activities organized by the employee resource group, BlackDropboxers. This year was no exception, with events like a moderated discussion with non-profit She is a CEO to inspire young girls to become leaders, and a partnership with artists to create illustrations for Zoom backgrounds representing Black joy. In contrast to last year’s heightened awareness of the injustice that many Black people still experience, BlackDropboxers decided to focus this year’s theme around joy and healing.
“Although there was and is a lot of pain and sorrow in our community, there is still an abundance of joy,” says Osagie Aisueni, lead for Black History Month at Dropbox. “So we wanted to highlight our Black joy in our community as a reminder and encouragement to all, that Black joy is really authentic and contagious.”
The theme “Black Joy” represents the unmatched and unparalleled experience of being Black. Where society has told Black people to conform, to take a back seat, to accept less than—savoring the joy associated with being Black is an act of resistance and can bring its own form of healing.
We talked to a few BlackDropboxers about what this year’s theme means to them, how it ties in to their identities, and what they hope to take away from this year’s Black History Month.
Osagie Aisueni
Team: Engineering Recruiting
Time at Dropbox: A little under two years
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m the son of two Nigerian immigrants so my beautiful Nigerian culture and heritage has shaped me into who I am. But I was born and raised by the great city of Houston, so I also cheer for anything and everything that comes out of there. I now reside in Austin where I spend most of my time cracking jokes with my wife, watching amazing Netflix series, and learning about new cultures from all over the world.
What drew you to BlackDropboxers at first?
The community of Black people within the workspace was something so new to me. It almost felt like something in a story book that you read about, but never expected it to be something that could happen to you.
What is the biggest impact BlackDropboxers has had on you since you joined?
The community aspect has been huge for me. Feeling a place of safety and belonging amongst the community has allowed me the freedom to really be myself more and more at work.
How does this year’s theme resonate with you personally?
I feel like Black joy has been a really good reminder for me to look around myself more and I’ve been able to see Black joy in so many places when I focus on it. It truly warms my heart and can be encouraging in the most unexpected ways.
What do you hope others take away from this year’s theme?
Black joy is not the absence of black pain or sorrow. At times we just choose to focus on joy in the midst of hardship.
Dottie Guy
Team: Platform Strategy and Operations
Time at Dropbox: Four years
What is the biggest impact BlackDropboxers has had on you?
Really finding people to talk to who understand the experience of being Black in America. Before BlackDropboxers, I worked at places where there were so few Black folks and rarely was I in the same room with them. Finding community in the Bay Area was also difficult. Because of BlackDropboxers, I’ve been able to find events and experiences that have made me feel less alone in this world.
What does ‘joy’ mean to you?
Joy is a special brand of happiness. It feels light and easy. Having a good hair day, wearing an amazing outfit, and seeing your favorite people doing your favorite things.
What do you hope to take away from this year’s Black History Month?
A reminder that even in dark times, there is room to celebrate the good and fun in the world.
What gives you hope?
The promise of a better tomorrow. Knowing that our ancestors survived so we could thrive.
Kendra Speed
Team: Market Insights
Time at Dropbox: A little over a year
What does ‘joy’ mean to you?
To me, joy means having the freedom to be yourself without fear of judgement or backlash.
How does this year’s theme resonate with you personally?
It resonates with me at my core. I seek to fill the space of my personal and professional interactions with joy and to hopefully lend to the positivity of any given space.
What do you hope to take away from this year’s Black History Month?
A greater appreciation for those who make up BlackDropboxers and the broader organization. It brings a smile to my face as I see people taking a stance to appreciate my culture.
What gives you hope?
I hope that the spirt of this month’s theme will permeate into the way Black people are seen not only in February but 365 days a year.
Sheree George
Team: People team
Time at Dropbox: Two years
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
As a native Houstonian, I have had to use resilience and grit to get to where I am today. I was able to escape becoming a product of my environment and another statistic by moving to NYC, different countries in Europe, and now the Bay Area. I grew up loving fashion and rules and somehow I managed to get into law school in a dual program (MBA, JD) where I was able to merge the two! Being at Dropbox has allowed me to truly live at the intersectionality of being a Black woman while also experiencing HR and law. Simply put, I’m just truly blessed.
What is the biggest impact BlackDropboxers has had on you since you joined?
Allowing me to interview Issa Rae!
What does ‘joy’ mean to you?
Since losing my father, I'm not quite sure what that word means to me anymore, but I would say it’s like freedom.
How does this year’s theme resonate with you personally?
I love black joy because it truly speaks to my upbringing. Though we were extremely poor, I felt the joy of life playing neighborhood games, running barefoot after the ice cream truck, and being connected with my friends in a pure, innocent, and free way.
What gives you hope?
Making my father angel proud.
Montana Houston
Team: Legal
Time at Dropbox: 6 months
What drew you to BlackDropboxers at first?
When I was doing my final round interview at Dropbox, I got an in-person tour of the office and what stood out to me was the beautiful sea of faces of different races, genders, and ages. Among those faces, I saw people who looked like me. Coming from a PWI (predominantly white institution), I often didn’t see reflections of myself while walking from class to class. My moment in the Tuck Shop was so refreshing. I was instantly motivated to join BlackDropboxers and become a part of the community.
What does ‘joy’ mean to you?
I think the theme says it well. I think Black joy is being unapologetically Black. It’s melanin poppin’. It’s self-love and self-acceptance.
What do you hope to take away from this year’s Black History Month?
To continuously embrace Black joy! As a new member to Dropbox, I also look forward to meeting more BlackDropboxers and join together in collective Black joy.
Chelsi Cocking
Team: Organized Workflows Area team
Time at Dropbox: One year
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, and then moved to the US for college to study Computational Media at Georgia Tech. It was there where I was introduced to the world of product design, human centered design and computing, and working in technology in this way. Fast forward to today, after many internships and time at startups, I’m now currently working as a product designer, and have been for the past year.
What drew you to BlackDropboxers at first?
From the first day that I joined Dropbox, one of the groups to reach out to me, welcome me, and embrace me was BlackDropboxers. This made me feel like I wasn’t only walking into a workplace, but also a welcoming community and team that I could be a part of.
What is the biggest impact BlackDropboxers has had on you since you joined?
I think the biggest impact is providing a space. A space where you can go to share laughs, commonalities, community, and be around your people. It also provides a space where you can find respect and mutual understanding, especially when your community is plagued by collective adversity, just as we witnessed last year.
What do you hope to take away from this year’s Black History Month?
I’m constantly learning more about Black American history and Black history worldwide. I hope to remember and learn more about the untold stories that deserve to be taught, understood, celebrated, and discovered.
How does this year’s theme resonate with you personally?
Last year was a very difficult year for many, if not all of us around the world collectively. For me, I found refuge and support in being home in Jamaica surrounded by my friends and family— something I haven’t been able to do since I was 18. So for me, this year’s theme serves as a reminder to lean into and lean on the things in life that give you happiness. So while last year was one of the hardest/weirdest years I’ve ever experienced, it also taught me to remember and cherish the people and things that are most important to me.
What does ‘joy’ mean to you?
Happiness. Finding happiness and joy through yourself, in yourself, and who you are. And celebrating that. Remembering to practice self care, remembering to be mindful and find joy in the space that you are currently in in life. And being unabashedly proud of who you are.
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