True to its name, this coming weekend’s CultureFest is a free event aimed at Unity in the Community.One of its many facets is to raise awareness of the talent and potential of the Island’s marginalised youth.To assist, US producer and recording artist TJ Gibson is on hand with international news coordinator from TRN TV, Andrew Williams Jr.Explained Mr Williams: “Where I’m from in Los Angeles, we have some of the same issues that people are facing here in Bermuda.”He and Mr Gibson want to use graduates from the Mirrors programme to provide opportunities to what are termed at-risk youth on the Island.They’re also supporting the New Beginnings $1 Million Campaign, which invests in the participants of Mirrors and other personal development programmes.The fundraising will help provide educational grants, and contribute to bringing back the Mirrors programme’s residential programme for 19- to 24-year-old men.“I’m dedicating my song to the cause,” Mr Gibson explained. “I’ve got a record I did with Michael Jackson’s band just before the ‘This is It’ tour that never happened.“I’m going to play some of my music at CultureFest, and donate part of the proceeds from my record sales to the New Beginnings campaign.”Mr Gibson, who’s on the Island for the next month, also wants Mirrors participants to take part in his video shoot.“I guess my story’s the same,” he said. “I grew up on the West Coast in California with some of the same things that are affecting kids here in Bermuda. You normally just think of this as a place people come to go on holiday.”Teamed up with Mr Williams, the group hope to bring local youth overseas to gain experience at The Revelation Network.“There’s an opportunity to get kids involved and give them a chance to participate behind the scenes, to see and learn about the entertainment business,” Mr Williams said.Beyond raising money to invest in young people, the $1 Million Campaign is intended, like CultureFest, to foster connections.For graduates of programmes such as Mirrors — who may come to the table with a less than perfect CV — New Beginnings founder Kerry Judd hopes to provide opportunities for internships, such as with CultureFest organiser Gladwyn Simmons’s business Spanish Town Entertainment.CultureFest takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Royal Naval Dockyard.l Useful website: www.bermudaculturefest.com.