Grasping for breath while you are dying inside is hard to experience and watch. The action of inhaling and exhaling of breath is life itself. And without the air needed for that vital action, your system shuts down and life ceases to exist. Young men across our nation are grasping at air to breathe, live, and survive but many are having their breath snuffed out them by various entities. They need help and a way to regain life.

Insert Chauncy Glover. Many known him as the award-winning thought-provoking journalist at ABC 13. Others know him as the always stylish profiling fashion-forward icon. Then there are some special young men that know him as a mentor, friend, and role model through the Chauncy Glover Project that is breathing new life into the hearts of troubled teens.

Detroit, Michigan, like most cities, has a history of violence especially with violence concerning black men. While preparing to cover a breaking news story of a coach at a local Detroit high school who shot to two teens trying to rob him, Glover found himself in the middle of the action when one of the teens could not be found.

“I get on the scene for breaking news, about to report and then I see something in the median and it’s moving. I go to see what it is and it’s the other kid. It’s the second suspect. And he has been shot. I started yelling the other kid is over here. And then I looked down and that kid, he was dead. And it kind of jilted me. I had never seen anything like,” described Glover as he watched that teen take his last breaths of life. “I just couldn’t get that kid out of my mind.”

Glover saw how endangered young men were and knew he couldn’t just stand by watching, waiting for another one to meet such a tragic fate. He had to do something. After speaking with the dead teen’s mother, Glover learned that the mother did her best, however, his father was not in the picture and fell in with the wrong crowd. Knowing this could be a key factor, Glover reflected on his own life, and how vital his own dad had been in his development. “My dad is one of my biggest mentors,” said Glover, who said his dad is his best friend.

Since he could no longer help the young man who passed, Glover decided to help the teen’s friends. With the help of the corporate staff, I was able to connect with the teens and began working to start their change. At the end of their junior the year, the young men’s lives are been forever changed by going from a life of crime and choices to one of education and opportunity. The seniors went on to college and all are on track to graduate next year.

Seeing the benefit of having a mentor in a young man’s life, Glover decided to keep going with the idea. Before he knew it, the Chauncy Glover Project had been born.

From Detroit to Houston, the Chauncy Glover Project or CGP is an extensive, hands- on mentoring program, created to groom inner city teenage boys into upstanding and accomplished gentlemen according to the organization’s website. Participants are 7-12th graders meet bimonthly attend, attend empowering sessions, and outings to build character, set goals, and over adversity.

The process first starts with the building of trust. Once the foundation is laid, comes truth. “My mentors and I, we let them know we were once their age. We made mistakes like them. Everyone has a story. Everyone comes from a different situation but you can still make it,” said. Glover. Focusing on education, manhood, self- empowerment, financial responsibility, etiquette, college readiness and more CGP men learn about working hard, not to depend on others, and to do things for themselves. All lessons Glover was taught by his own father.

Becoming a CGP man is not an easy process. Candidates submit an application; go through an interview, and a rigorous screening process before members of the new class is hand selected at the end of their junior year of high school. From there young men are mentored by Glover and his crew to start their transformation.

Culminating the entire journey is when they publically share their story permanently leaving anything holding them back behind them.

Houstonians saw the 2018 class at the annual Black Tie Gala befitting CGP’s scholarships and mentoring programs. During the program, NFL ‘s Adrian Peterson, The Church Without Walls’ Dr. Ralph Douglas West, Zazsby’s Shawn A. Taylor, The Monica Lewis’ School of Etiquette’ s Drian and Monica Lewis, Houston Black Restaurant Week, She’s Happy Hair’s Marcus Bowers, Twiler Poris, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s founding pastor, My Brother’s Keeper, and Houston Health Department’s Noel Pinnock were honored.

The true stars of the show were the men of CGP. Each young man passionately told stories of troubles and triumph to a packed Hobby Hall crowd. Guests could be seen wiping away tears, holding their hearts, and looking in awe. People saw “the pain, frustration, the angry” as well as “the triumph, the excitement, and the overcoming of these young men.”

This year’s gala had a theme to embraced the king that all CGP men have within themselves. Glover said, “ This reminds him men that God has already given them everything they need to succeed. We have to tap into it. We have to study. We have to show ourselves approved and do the work in order so we can be the best king,” exclaimed Glover.

No other joy would be greater for Glover than to see these young men changed and succeeding in life due to their involvement in CGP. Glover said his greatest joy would be to see all the young men that have gone to college and are doing well and succeeding as his greatest legacy. He wants to be known for changing the lives of men and putting them on the right path.

CPG has already become bigger than Glover ever image. Having more than 100 young men go off to college, he is proud of the growth and progress of the 501 © 3 nonprofit that started out off just mentoring a few teenagers.

Those interested in being part of the village to assist in changing the life of a young man can sign up to be a volunteer via thechauncygloverproject.org. Also, utilize the website to purchase a ticket to the gala and/or make a charitable contribution to minority programs.

A native of Athens, Alabama, Chauncy Glover is a self-proclaimed health enthusiasts, daddy boy, and lover of all things old school. The Troy University graduate holds a bachelor degree in Broadcast Journalism, Music and Theatre and a degree in Public Relations. The Emmy winning journalist believes in the power of prayer and has strong faith.