Tony Reid on honoring his heritage, his passion for tech, and getting to Dropbox

May is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. While our offices may be closed, we still plan to have virtual activities around our inclusive theme, “api& ___ ,” celebrating the vibrancy, diversity, and messiness of our intersecting identities.

The “&” lets us break out of a single definition: at a personal level, it creates space for us to explore our intersecting identities; on a global scale, it invites us to reflect on the larger communities that we’re a part of. We explore this theme by asking some of our Dropboxers about their pastimes, their experiences at Dropbox, and more. We chatted with Tony Reid about his journey to Dropbox, his post-quarantine travel plans, and how he’s exploring his passion for digital art.

I’m Asian and _________ ?

A tech enthusiast.

Can you tell us how you became interested in technology?

I was growing up in Orem, UT when Word Perfect and Novell were sparking a tech boom there, so tech is something I’ve been aware of and around most of my life. I’m a huge audiophile with three stereo systems at home and a 4k Atmos home theater; I also love digital design and art, digital photography and camera tech, smart home tech, anything related to computers and software, and anything that’s innovative.

Can you tell us about your first day at Dropbox?

Having worked in tech my whole life and having taken a lot of steps up to that point, I really got an “I made it” feeling at that point. I was really excited to be a part of what I saw as a really awesome company that really impressed me from day one.

What team are you on?

I work as a Product Operations Manager on the CX Advocacy team. We advocate for customers and teams to improve Dropbox products.

What office do you work in?

I work in the Austin office. I love the culture here — it’s hardworking but casual, and everyone is on the same page in that regard.

What is your favorite part of the Asians@ ERG?

That it exists! And that it is specifically inclusive of Pacific Islanders.

What have you learned about yourself from current or past API months?

This will be my first one at Dropbox. For all of the ERG months, I love hearing from the different guest speakers that come in, and this will certainly be no exception.

What is one of your favorite Dropbox events?

The Work In Progress event in 2019. It was a representation of a lot of work that I helped with and also really inspired me for the future of Dropbox. I coordinated CX’s work for the launch of the desktop foreground app.

Where would you like to most visit once quarantine is over?

New Zealand. That’s where my grandma is from, and I have a lot of family there still.

What Dropbox office would you most like to visit?

Tokyo!

What is your favorite Tuck Shop [our cafe] station?

Pacific Rim, when I’m visiting the SanFrancisco office.

What part of the office do you miss most during quarantine?

The Tuck Shop.

What is a hobby or skill you’ve been exploring during quarantine?

I’ve been getting back into digital art, combining things in Photoshop to come up with new poster-style digital art.

You’re the frontman of a band. What kind of music do they play?

Moombahton!

You can learn more about the various ERGs that support team members of all different backgrounds at Dropbox here.