Celebrating our roots this Latinx Heritage Month
This month, we’re celebrating Latinx Heritage Month with the theme Raíc/Zes (Roots). Roots are significant for Latinx communities around the world. They connect us, teach us, and empower us to look out for one another through difficult times, as well unite us in times of celebration. Our roots remind us of the past, while carrying us forward into the future and keeping traditions alive throughout our communities. We spoke with Latinx co-lead Armando Armas to learn more about the theme and what it means to him.
The theme for this year’s Latinx Heritage Month is Raíc/Zes (Roots). Can you expand on the concept of this theme and how you decided on it?
The theme came about after thinking about how our teams would soon be able to see each other in person again after over a year of not working in the same office. While that has yet to be the case, I kept circling back to our ERG and connection. We’d often connect over stories of our families, traditions, and shared experiences. It reminded me of a tree planting its roots and flourishing. Our Latinx tree at Dropbox has only grown within the past year and the theme is a reminder that we’re all connected — we’re here to honor the past while supporting each other into the future.
What does Raíc/zes mean to you as an individual and why is it important for the larger community?
For me, it means to never forget your own history. I have so many fond memories of spending time with my family, most of whom came to this country when they were young, and seeing how they were able to flourish here while retaining their own histories. This inspired me to explore my own roots. In my youth, I surrounded myself with Mexican culture and I still try and learn about my ancestors, and ways I can honor them, while forging my own path forward. It’s important to understand your own roots so you can share those traditions with future generations and so that knowledge is not lost.
What can allies learn from this theme and how can they support it?
It’s all about uplifting. It’s a chance to learn about other people’s stories and relate on common themes of family and tradition. Listen to the struggles facing our communities and learn how we can all support one another.
What’s a tradition that holds a special significance for you?
Every year around the holidays we make tamales with my family. We didn’t used to do this so much when I was younger, but my mom really made an effort to make this a yearly tradition and it’s something I always look forward to. It’s a chance to slow down and also make some delicious food!
Even after Latinx Heritage Month is over, we support Latinx Dropboxers and Dropboxers of all backgrounds year round through our ERGs. You can learn more about them here.
