We have all heard the old saying: America is a melting pot. But exactly who makes up this melting pot?

Immigrant communities of color don't always see or hear their histories and culture portrayed in mainstream media. They may not learn about their stories in American textbooks, but they hear them at home. Often, it is oral stories informally passed down from generation to generation--stories of struggle, triumph, and creating a new life in a foreign land.

In a new audio and visual project at NPR, we will take a look at the American melting pot, exploring the universal themes that immigrant communities of color encounter while navigating their identity in America.

Do you identify as a member of this community? If so, we want to give you the power to tell your story. These stories should involve themes of identity and assimilation in America. Some ideas include, but aren't limited to, food traditions, family separation, queer identity, family values, and career aspirations.

Record one to two minutes briefly sharing a particular story relating to this history, either by yourself, or in conversation with a family member. Be sure to introduce yourself and where you are and what themes the story brought up for you. Also, please tell us if there is something regarding that personal history that you would want to explore more deeply, with an expert.

Just record yourself on your smartphone using your video or voice memo apps. If your story interests us, we will reach out to you for more information.

Finally, if you are curious how a story like this could sound, here's an example.

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