In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, Software Engineer Eduardo Torres Montano shares with us his love for his family, his culture, and good coffee
Through uncertain times, even though we’re currently apart, we can still be together. Our Latinx Heritage Month theme for 2020, “¡Salud y Unidad!,” celebrates the ways we can foster health and community at Dropbox, regardless of distance or differences. We chatted with former intern turned full-time Software Engineer Eduardo Torres Montano about his love for family, mariachi music, and the Seattle office.
What is your job title and what team are you on?
I’m a software engineer on the Store Engagement team.
What office/region do you work in?
The Seattle office.
What product or feature have you been most proud to be part of in your time at Dropbox?
I was part of a group called Project 2001, which essentially was to increase the quota for our users. They originally had two terabytes, and the whole project was around increasing that to three terabytes for our professional users. It was one of the first projects that I was on, only three or four months in. We had a pretty big launch on the release date, and we had celebrations as we watched the numbers go up and people started using it. It was cool to be involved in something so big so soon into my career.
Did you have any assumptions about engineering at Dropbox that proved untrue once you started working here?
I felt like people would be less open than they are. I was never really much into the engineering world; I always thought that engineers would be closed off, to themselves, or a little more nerdy. Coming to Dropbox, I found that was definitely not true. Pretty much everyone is open, encouraging, and warm, which was a big surprise.
Do you have any memories that stick out from your first day at Dropbox?
On the very first day of my internship, we were given Mac laptops and were told to set them up and get settled in. I had never used a Mac before, so I had no idea what was going on. I felt super uncomfortable, but the person next to me also didn’t have a lot of experience with Macs, so we kind of bonded over that. And other people were more than willing to help us. But that always stuck with me as my first moment at Dropbox — I’m in trouble, but there’s someone else there with me, and also someone who can help!
What does this year’s theme, “¡Salud y unidad!” or “¡Saúde e unidade!,” mean to you?
To me, it means cheers! It means being healthy and together, and it reminds me of the holidays.
Do you have a favorite part of the Latinx ERG?
My favorite part is having so many people from so many different backgrounds. When people think of Latin culture in the U.S., they usually think of Mexican culture, but there’s a huge emphasis on and active participation from many different communities. In the Seattle office, we have a few people who are Colombian and Chilean as well, and it’s just cool to see all those different cultures interact.
What have you learned about yourself from past Latinx Heritage months?
I’ve learned that family is really important to me. The Latinx ERG themes are often centered around community and family, and to me that resonates a lot. Part of the reason I came to Seattle was to be closer to my family, who lives in Portland. It’s really crucial to my own personal life, and it’s great that it’s also a key tenet of our ERG.
Do you have a favorite Dropbox moment or event?
We recently had a five year birthday event for the Seattle office that felt like a kid’s birthday part, but with a lot of adults! It was really nice to celebrate the Seattle office and all its awesomeness.
What office/region would you most like to visit post-quarantine?
Definitely the SF office, I haven’t been there since the move to Owens (our new headquarters.)
What part of the office do you miss most during quarantine?
Definitely our Little R (the coffee shop.) I miss just having coffee accessible at all times! It was also just a really chill and relaxed area.
Is there any Latinx content you’ve been binging during distributed work?
I’ve been watching a lot more novellas with my family. We’ve been getting into La Rosa de Guadalupe, which is on every day!
Are there any hobbies you have been using to fill your time during distributed work?
- I’ve picked up drawing recently. I got a sketchbook and some pencils and have been sketching people and animals.
If you were the frontman of a band, what type of music would you play?
Definitely mariachi. I was actually in a mariachi band, so it’s always been a dream to be a professional mariachi player!
Our ERGs are the backbone of our culture at Dropbox. You can learn more about how they support Dropboxers of all backgrounds here.
