It is estimated that 1 billion people—15% of the world’s population—has no legal existence whatsoever. They cannot vote, travel, or open a bank account. The Population Project might not be able to reverse the legal plight of these people but it can give them something that costs little and means a lot: Dignity.

Working on this project makes us realize how similar we all are. We are born, we get an education, we carve out a role for ourselves in society, we love, and one day, we die. From this vantage point, our differences in terms of race, creeds or religions pale in comparison to our common humanity.

So yes, the Population Project is a register. But it is also a work of art, a mosaic of individuals, who, put together, make up the most beautiful picture.