16 local teenagers and Rochester police officers will share the stage Saturday afternoon at the Police and Teen Talent Slam.
The event is hosted by Monroe Community College's Upward Bound program, whose goal is to get first generation low-income students to college.
Gwen Bell, program advisor for Upward Bound says the talent show is supposed to give officers and teenagers the chance to see a different, fun side of each other; and move perceptions away from distrust to acceptance and understanding.
"Trying to build that sense of community, that we're all in the same city and we're all in this together. And try and understand that we're all from the same common ground and we all want the city to be successful."
Rappers, slam poets, singers and dancers are all set to perform in the event.
Students in the Upward Bound program also recently wrote and secured a $680 grant from the M.K. Gandhi Institute for nonviolence, to design creative solutions for fear, hostility and division within their community.
The Police and Teen Talent Slam takes place Saturday from 2pm-4:30 pm at the Joseph Wilson Foundation Academy.