In the spring of 1997 I attended the screening of a provocative documentary produced by the youth media organization, Global Action Project. In the film, two New York City teenagers journey to Northern Ireland to get a firsthand account of the conflict there from a group of Catholic and Protestant youth. Beyond the strong impact of the film, I was inspired by the youth producers themselves, who proudly shared their experience of working together with peers to produce such a meaningful piece.

It wasn't a hard sell when the organization let it be known that they were looking for a producer/director for their next project - a film on coexistence through the eyes of Palestinian and Israeli teens. I had spent the previous two years teaching video production in New York City public schools and was increasingly interested in making films with youth.

I accepted the opportunity and spent the following two years working closely with an extraordinary group of seven Palestinian and Israeli young people. It is through their eyes and voices that I gained insight into a conflict that I realized I knew very little about. I was moved and inspired by their passion for the endeavor, their willingness to perservere and their courage to envision a legacy more hopeful than what they've inherited.