How we kicked off Black History Month with a special Dropbox event

All year long, we love celebrating diversity in partnership with our ERGs at Dropbox. Our first major event of 2020 came earlier this month, as part of our Black History Month activities. BlackDropboxers at our headquarters in San Francisco planned a gathering filled with food, art, music, and good vibes.

The event was held on February 6 in the Light Box, a bespoke exhibit space at the Owens HQ. This space was designed as a blank canvas for teams to create one-of-a-kind installations and celebrations. The BlackDropboxers were among the first to try it out.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted by a wall graphic declaring and unpacking this year’s Black History Month theme, sankofa. The Light Box space featured photography depicting Black-owned restaurants, gyms, and other spaces, with captions describing the importance and location of the pieces to the BlackDropboxers. On one wall, a slideshow of quotes from BlackDropboxers across the globe showcased the places or people who inspire them.

A table in the center of the room set with laptops and headphones allowed patrons to watch and listen to short-form Black History Month content at their leisure, while a DJ blasted upbeat music nearby under cool blue mood lighting. And, of course, there was food — a whole banquet table full of gourmet offerings from the Tuck Shop and drinks for all.

Dropboxers, friends of Dropboxers, candidates, visitors from other tech companies, and invited members of Airbnb and Facebook’s Blacks ERGs mingled and admired the art. As the night progressed, the open space turned into a dance floor for those enjoying the music. When it was time to leave, each person was encouraged to fill out a card sharing how they are celebrating Black History Month and what it means to them. They could also grab some swag to take home, including Black History Month stickers and brightly colored custom-made silk scarves with messages reflecting the meaning of sankofa on them: “looking to our past to progress our future.”

We’re excited to see what other ERG-sponsored events take place this year and bring us all together to celebrate each other. You can learn more about our ERGs here.