“She still thought I was in Iraq.”

Hector Vega and his wife, Leopoldina, remember the day Hector returned home from war.

Recorded in New York, NY.

“We saw the searchlight from the patrol boat...”

Gustavo Mestas talks to his daughter, Ileana, about escaping from Cuba to the U.S. in 1963.

Recorded in Georgetown, DE.

“They would allow potential parents to check you out like a library book.”

Ray Martinez remembers growing up in an orphanage during the 1950s.

Recorded in Fort Collins, CO.

“By the time I was in the second grade, everyone was calling me Raymond.”

Ramón "Chunky" Sanchez remembers how teachers changed the names of Mexican-American students during the 1950s.

Recorded in San Diego, CA.

“As he's walking away, I'm like, 'Hey, you forgot something...'”

Julio Diaz remembers being robbed on a subway platform in the Bronx.

Recorded in New York, NY.

“A friend of ours wanted us to be together in a scene...”

Miriam Cruz-Colon and her husband Oscar Colon remember meeting as acting students in 1959.

Recorded in New York, NY, in partnership with the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA).

“I would see tons of doctors...”

Gloria Mengual tells her partner, Charles Gregory, about growing up with epilepsy.

Recorded in Hartford, CT.

“When I met Michael I was 14 years old.”

Monique Ferrer remembers her ex-husband, Michael Trinidad, who was killed in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Recorded in Rockville Centre, NY. Click here for more 9/11 stories.

“He said, 'When the border patrol changes shifts, you're going to run.'”

Blanca Alvarez tells her daughter, Connie, about illegally crossing the border from Mexico to the United States.

Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.

“Let's face it: roaches are spectacular.”

Andy Linares of Bug Off Pest Control talks about his work.

Recorded in New York, NY.

“So I ran back to the bus, and I said, 'Sweetie, your restaurant is right here.'”

New York City bus operator Ronald Ruiz remembers one of his passengers on the City Island line in the Bronx.

Recorded in New York, NY.

“He went somewhere; you could see it. And there was no pain. There's a quiet dignity in there.”

Jesus Melendez telling Frank Perez about poet Pedro Pietri's final moments in an air ambulance.

Recorded in New York, NY.

“You know, when everybody's poor, nobody feels poor.”

Manny Diaz tells his friend Blanca Vazquez about growing up in New York City, during the Depression.

Recorded in New York, NY.