In over a decade of travels throughout the Middle East, I have spent time with people on all sides of conflicts. Interacting with them and sharing their life experiences, I have found that individual stories are the key to dispelling stereotypes and fighting misconceptions.  It takes constant and conscious effort to see past the stereotypes that we as Westerners have created.  If we fail to do so, preconceptions are all we see and we miss understanding the context and nuances of the situation.  For people in the region, conflict is a part of their daily life, and yet life goes on.  Through these images I seek to humanize the conflict and bring untold human stories to light.