Boxers' Reflections for Women's History Month

This year for Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, Boxers reflected on why these celebrations are important to them, shared their stories with each other, and allowed us to tweet some of them throughout the month. When I read their reflections, I was struck by two things: how different we are but how much we have in common, and the power of history.

Many Boxers shared personal stories of where we came from and how we got here. Many paid homage to the women who inspire us to do the work we do today — whether that work is their job, a volunteer or passion project, or our responsibilities as a parent or caretaker. In our stories, I saw that Boxers’ backgrounds are so diverse, with people coming from the US and different countries around the world, with different upbringings, and with different roles in the company. However, we all have one thing in common: every one of us looks up to a person or group of people who inspires us to do more than we could have imagined we’re capable of. With that inspiration is also genuine humility and gratitude in knowing that we are where we are today because of someone’s experiences before us.

Box Women's Network in Seattle

These stories illustrate for me the power of history. When we pass on stories of our predecessors or share our own, we’re acknowledging the importance of the subject. That acknowledgment is powerful. As we tell a story over and over again, it becomes a part of our individual or collective history; that story is now a part of our identity. Our history is how we remember who we were, how we became the people we are today, and who we want to be in the future.

When we remember and retell the stories of women for Women's History Month, we say that they are an important part of our society, and we value their contributions. The more we remember the women in history, the closer we get to gender parity.

Although March and Women’s History Month is now coming to an end, let’s continue to share our stories with each other. Here are just a few of the stories that Boxers shared to commemorate Women’s History Month:

I celebrate my co-workers and friends who act as springboards by raising awareness of LGBTQ issues and women's rights. This has been through sharing our personal testimonies, serving as examples in our communities, and actively educating ourselves in these matters. I celebrate those who encourage others to be themselves, regardless of their gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
-- Audrey Wei, Engineering

I honor my grandmother, who started working in a brick factory at 13, has lived in 3 different countries, taught herself 2 languages, has been married for 69 years, raised 9 children and encourages her 28 grandchildren/great grandchildren to live their dreams.
-- Lauren Ziskie, Workplace Services

I honor all my fellow supermoms at Box. They give it their all (and then some) during the day at work. Then, they go home and begin their second full-time job, dedicating every ounce of their energy left to their kiddos. It takes a village and an inspiring tribe!
-- Megan Yee, Box Consulting

I honor my Mom and two amazing sisters - Alice and Carol - for instilling in me from childhood the value of equality and appreciation for the super-natural power in women. Their collective highlight reel? First gen immigrant, NTU graduate, Mother of 4, Pediatrician, family bread-winner, HS Student Body President, UC Berkeley graduates, SVP of a major retailer, concert pianist, beauty pageant winner, Division I Volleyball star, and so on. They shaped my thinking as a child, pushed me to follow my dreams, loved me unconditionally and continue to inspire me everyday!
-- Ed Tang, Strategic Planning & Analysis

I honor my mom who led by example. She was a home health care nurse in rural Vermont, leading teams of nurses and working with a wide spectrum of families and patients. She led with humility, grace, optimism, humor, empathy, and compassion. Everything I learned about leadership and building teams I learned from her! And I hope to pass on the same to my daughters.
-- Heidi Williams, Engineering

International Women's Day is a day when I honor my Box mentors, co-workers and fellow Box Women's Network & Women in Tech members. They truly inspire me to push myself harder and give me the confidence to make change happen for myself and others.
-- Denise Cook, Recruiting

I honor my mother, a pillar of strength, who dreamed big for her 2 girls, and dedicated her life to making those dreams a reality, and my sister, a critical care nurse who continues to challenge stereotypes and more importantly passes on the values we learned from our mom to her 2 kids.
-- Chitra Selvaraj, Engineering Program Management

I celebrate & honor the pioneering women who came before this generation as well as those who surround me. They give me strength & courage to travel my journey, accomplishing goals & dreams. They inspire me to say, "What glass ceiling?"
-- Kat Sullivan, Sales Operations

The celebration of any kind of diversity should not be limited to a single month. Please join us in extending the conversation around #WomensHistoryMonth beyond the month of March - share your story with us on Twitter @BoxCareers!