In 2013, Maurice Rowland and Miguel Alvarez were working at an assisted living home for the elderly in California when the owners suddenly shut it down.

Many of the residents had nowhere else to go, and once the staff stopped getting paid, they all left—except for Maurice and Miguel.

Maurice and Miguel’s story is one in a series of real-life stories presented by StoryCorps and Upworthy reminding us #WhoWeAre—everyday Americans speaking to our best selves.

Click here to listen to Maurice and Miguel’s original StoryCorps interview.

StoryCorps and Upworthy, the mission-driven media company that reaches more than 200 million people each month, have joined forces to launch #WhoWeAre, a campaign to share the stories of everyday Americans, build compassion, and offer hope to a divided nation. #WhoWeAre calls on Americans to reach across perceived divides and listen to one another.

Click here to learn more about the campaign.