Esse Quam Videri

I have always thought that North Carolina's guiding slogan, "Esse Quam Videri (To be, rather than to seem)," is about the best state motto for which one could ask, one from which North Carolinians should draw pride. Now an enthralling photodocumentary project, Esse Quam Videri: Muslim Self Portraits has taken on the motto and its connotations to present the personal and varied stories of those who practice Islam in North Carolina.

The photographs are accompanied by a statement from the participants and sometimes an additional audio recording of why the participants posed as they did to present their "Muslimness" and how it has, in part, defined their identities. I've included a few of the photographs below.

Ansar, High Point, North Carolina, 2009

Tamir, Statesville, North Carolina, 2008

Cyclones, Charlotte, NC, 2008

All images are reproduced from the Esse Quam Videri: Muslim Self Portraits website.