Debbie Lerman's idea for the black & white photo project came to her several years ago when she realized her children (then aged 7 and 5) had no language for (and no emotional baggage for) racial differences. They were in a relatively integrated school  and neighborhood. They didn't call people "black" or "white" because they don't use those words at home or school. They just described what people looked like, using "brown-skinned" or "light-skinned" when they wanted to make that distinction.

 And she thought, "What if we could see black and white, instead of as conflicted opposites, as perfect compliments and reflections of one another, and celebrate how well we all go together?"

 Debbie says her hope for everyone who participated in the Black & White project is to "experience a shift in perception— an enhanced ability to see ourselves in each other and the 'other' in ourselves."