We were lucky to catch up with Cleous “GloWry” Young recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cleous “GloWry” , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is called “Valventine’s Day and Beyond.” This initiative was inspired by an article I was featured in on Valentine’s Day 2025, where I expressed my desire for people to look beyond the romance of Valentine’s Day and find deeper, more meaningful connections. Shortly after the article was published, I realized that this message aligned with a speech I gave at my uncle’s funeral in December 2024. In that speech, I urged my family to find deeper connections with each other, not just at funerals. Although the article and the funeral were separate events in different countries, they both emphasized the importance of meaningful connections.
The article also mentioned that I would be conducting workshops under the title “Valventine’s Day and Beyond” to promote these deeper connections. As I worked on putting the workshop together, I realized that the article was subconsciously aligned with two major decisions in my life: giving up my dream of becoming the next Pele 25 years ago and making a solemn promise two years ago to do something meaningful in honor of my late friend and mentor, Miller Parker.
Growing up in Jamaica, my American dream was to become a famous soccer player like Pele. However, I eventually decided to pursue something more meaningful than just fame. Over the past 25 years, I’ve explored various ventures, including being a poet, author, speaker, playwright, teacher, tutor, community advocate, mentor, actor, entrepreneur, and behavioral therapist. But none of these ventures have been as meaningful as “Valventine’s Day and Beyond.”
Crafting the workshop allowed me to connect my childhood dreams with my adult reality. It revealed deep, meaningful aspects of my life that I hadn’t been consciously aware of. The workshop became a bridge between my past and present, showing me that I had been preparing for this moment my entire life. “Valventine’s Day and Beyond” also honors the promise I made to Mr. Miller Parker. In 2018, I discovered a unique perspective of the airport, which led to the formation of my non-profit organization, The TEB-IT Foundation. Mr. Parker, who became the Vice President and later the Chairman of the Board, played a crucial role in its start and development. After his sudden passing in October 2023, I pledged to use TEB-IT to do something meaningful in his memory. A part of the workshop is dedicated to him, honoring his belief in me and his impactful mentorship.
The debut of “Valventine’s Day and Beyond” on March 19th, 2025, via Zoom, received overwhelming applause, leading to a “Back by Popular Demand” in person session on April 10th and dual location (online and in-person) on May 21st, which was hosted by Rabia Mayers and broadcasted by Pastor Shota Iwasaki. Valventine’s Day and Beyond has given me a new verse in life, a sense of being, belonging, accomplishment, and has been the most meaningful endeavor in my life. You have to experience it to know and understand what I am confidently talking about.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Growing up on an island, many of us dream of achieving success through athletics or music to escape poverty. For me, football (soccer) was my passion. As a midfielder, I played in the middle of the field, connecting the offense and defense. Over time, I played all 11 positions, even stepping in as a goalkeeper when needed. As a child, my dream of becoming the next Pele led me to America in pursuit of the American dream. However, despite my success in high school and plans for college, I eventually abandoned my dream of becoming a famous soccer player. Instead, I sought something more meaningful beyond my athletic abilities. Requesting to have lovers seek for more meaningful connections during valentine’s day celebration, wasn’t something I was proposing. I had done it over two decades ago for my own life of giving up soccer to search for something more meaningful out of life.
In college, I pursued an Engineering Degree, but it was my love for writing that began to emerge. Writing, initially a side hobby, soon became my main focus. I transitioned from an aspiring engineer to a published poet and author. My writing evolved into advocacy for children, crafting stories with morals they could learn from. As my involvement in the community grew, I saw a need to help not just children but people of all ages and races. I extended my writing to theatrical productions addressing social issues like homelessness, bullying, and illiteracy. This venture led me to pursue a degree in Human Services and Psychology, allowing me to better serve the community and its people.
My soccer skills as a midfielder, playing offense and defense, translated into helping people with challenges (defense) and building new possibilities (offense). A tragic depressive setback involving a friend and business partner shifted my focus to family and friend relationships. During this difficult time, an aviation concept emerged, giving me a new perspective on life and helped me recover. This unique idea led to the formation of my non-profit organization, The TEB-IT Foundation, and the brand, The Airport Adventure.
Under The TEB-IT Foundation, we address social issues like bullying, trauma, depression, emotional barriers, and emotional intelligence using aviation principles, procedures, and philosophy. This approach sets us apart and has made a significant difference in the lives of many. My background in Human Services and Psychology helped me understand various systems that serve human life, but I never imagined the aviation industry could address social issues. This concept, born from a tragic moment, has become my proudest achievement.
Over the years, we’ve hosted workshops, conferences, theatrical productions, and events under this aviation concept. This also included the publication of The Airport Adventure Book-A-Zine, which is an innovative approach of a children’s storybook and magazine blended. Just like how an airport helps people reach new destinations, we help individuals, families, and groups move forward in life, achieving their social and emotional goals. Our latest endeavor, the workshop titled “Valventine’s Day and Beyond,” has received great reviews and feedback. As the world changes rapidly, the Age of Aquarius, new concepts are needed to help people adapt. I’m proud that our innovative community aviation approach is making a difference in the lives of others, while giving me a renewed phoenix bird sense of purpose and belonging.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Everything happens at the appointed time, but I wish I had discovered the aviation industry as a resource earlier in my creative journey. Some of my greatest creative works over the last couple of years were intentionally created while I was on a plane ride somewhere in the country or around the world. There’s something intriguing about flying at 33,000 feet and seeing the uniqueness of an idea that isn’t visible from the ground, similar to the concept of a bird’s eye view.
It’s humanly obvious that airports are used to transport people and things to new destinations daily. However, there are untapped resources within the aviation industry that we haven’t fully explored yet. Particularly, the airport and airlines industries transport 4.3 billion passengers safely to their destinations annually. There are also numerous jobs and resources available to support such a large number of passengers each year. Just like a coin has two sides, there’s another side of the aviation industry that I was able to tap into, and I’ve seen a significant difference in my creative journey.
Seeing things from a different angle is the benchmark of creativity, and I can confidently say that the aviation industry has allowed me to see many things differently, especially at 33,000 feet. In the last six years, I’ve had the creative opportunity to develop new ideas, including the latest “Valventine’s Day and Beyond.” Beyond that, there are resources in understanding the principles, procedures, and philosophy of the aviation industry that can significantly enhance a person’s creative journey.
For example, there’s the prioritized principle of safety used by airports and airlines. You may have heard the safety announcements throughout the airport or even on the airplane, made by the flight attendant. An influx of creativity comes from a person who feels safe more than from someone who feels unsafe. This is scientifically proven in various research, including Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Just think about the movie “Hidden Figures” and how creative those young ladies were who worked at NASA. Thus, I wish I knew about this aviation industry resource earlier in my creative journey. But then again, its better late than never.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Life is a journey of learning and relearning. When I returned to college to pursue a degree in Human Services, a friend suggested adding psychology as a minor to enhance my resume. Initially, I did it for the resume boost, but as I delved into my psychology classes, I discovered the scientific studies on human life from cradle to grave. This revelation made me realize that I had to unlearn many aspects of life.
Graduating from college should have been a joyous occasion, but it left me feeling disillusioned. On July 28th, 2016, two months after my magna cum laude graduation, I called my mother and told her I no longer wanted to be involved with the community. I walked away from all my community commitments and dedication. The minor in psychology opened my eyes to the rabbit hole that my life and the lives of others were going down. We were merely following the psychological programming mindset before we even knew what we wanted to do, which is a deep connection between Valventine’s Day and Beyond and the insights that are shared in the workshop.
What pulled me out of this despair in 2018 was the aviation industry. It was a God-sent vision during a tragic depressive state that I needed to experience to see the possibilities aviation could offer. This is why I am passionate about pushing for new opportunities. We are more than what we are today! No matter how great our current conditions are, there are new possibilities that can advance us to better, safer, and higher places. Its like we haven’t fully tapped into our human consciousness, potential, and universal powers as yet, which has to do with safety being a benchmark for humanity.
I now understand that the majority of the human population has been psychologically programmed to settle for a seating in basic economy also known as poverty, while a small few enjoy the luxury of first class also known as 1%. We need to unlearn the notion that life only exists in basic economy. A first-class life is available to all human beings, and yes that is possible for all of us here on earth. Just fly at 33,000 feet and look down at the vast amount of untapped land, water, and natural resources we have yet to discover or utilize.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cleousyoung.com
- Instagram: www.instragram.com/cleousyoung
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cleousyoung
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/teachinghigher
- Other: https://www.theairportadventure.com
