By The stories are surprising in their depth and candor, spanning the full spectrum of race, ethnicity, identity, and class. Even at just six words, the micro-essays reveal, fear, pain, triumph, and sometimes humor. Other responses went beyond the six words, submitting backstories, photos, and heirlooms providing a collection much like a scrapbook of American candor rarely seen. This panorama provides a rare 360-degree view of how Americans see themselves and one another.