Et In Pluribus Unum takes its name from the American motto E Pluribus Unum: "Out of many, one." My variation, "And in many, one," reflects an interest in what connects us within the diversity of American life.

Having grown up in the Netherlands before becoming a US citizen, I observe American life from the perspective of both a participant and someone who came to know the country as an adult. Through a series of black-and-white documentary photographic essays, I explore different aspects of everyday American life: its people, places, customs, communities, and the traces people leave behind. Some essays emerge from patterns and recurring observations discovered through America Observed, my ongoing photographic record of everyday American life. Others begin independently, with a particular subject, question, or idea. Each essay stands on its own, bringing together a series of observations around a specific theme.

What connects these essays is an interest in the commonalities that may exist within and across our differences. Americans come from different backgrounds, hold different beliefs, and live under different circumstances. Sometimes their lives intersect; sometimes they remain largely separate. Yet beneath these differences, I observe similar human needs and aspirations: dignity, love, a place to call home, a sense of accomplishment, and, perhaps most fundamentally, belonging.

My intention is not to diminish any differences or suggest that our experiences are interchangeable. Nor am I setting out to photograph a predetermined version of America. I explore the country I call home, guided by curiosity and a belief in shared human aspirations, while allowing my observations to shape each essay rather than using photographs to prove a particular point of view.

The photographs invite viewers to look closely, recognize differences, and discover for themselves commonalities that might otherwise go unnoticed.