Participants 16 and older are being sought for the kickoff events for the Bridging 8 Mile initiative this weekend.

The events are Saturday at the Boys and Girls Club in Royal Oak and Sunday at Youthville in Detroit, and are designed to bridge Detroit and its surrounding suburbs.

A local non-profit, The Association for Youth Empowerment, is launching the initiative to transform the way people relate to one another in the region.

Participation is free, but advance registration is required.

The Challenge Day program was featured on Oprah and on MTV’s “If You Really Knew Me” series.