Everybody Gotta Eat!
James “Jimmy” Hills
Emmanuel “Manny” Mervil came into the Java Cafe talking food, business and the hustle behind Everybody Gotta Eat — but like most good conversations, we got into a whole lot more.
Manny is a Cambridge guy, a family man, the son of Haitian parents and somebody who has built his business around a simple idea: if he has an opportunity to help somebody else eat, he is going to do it.
He talked about watching his parents come to this country, build a life and then help other people get jobs and get on their feet. That spirit of service clearly stayed with him.
For Manny, Everybody Gotta Eat is not just about food. It is about making sure other people have access, opportunity and support too. Sometimes that means hiring somebody, giving a vendor space at an event or simply sharing someone’s business on social media.
As Manny put it, “It don’t cost me nothing.”
That hit home because we talk about this all the time on Java With Jimmy. Supporting Black businesses and building community does not always require a huge investment. Sometimes it starts with sharing somebody’s work, showing up, spending our dollars locally and helping somebody else get seen.
Manny also kept it real about entrepreneurship. The grind is real, but so is the need to take care of yourself.
He talked about trying to rest when he can, putting the right team around him and making sure there is still time for his children and family. His advice was simple: take it one day at a time.
Faith is another big part of what keeps him moving.
“God is everything,” Manny said.
That faith also came through when we talked about Haiti and what Haitian families are facing. Manny made it clear that Haitian Americans have to continue looking for ways to support people who may be forced back into unsafe conditions, while also calling for more unity across the Black diaspora.
“We just gotta all come together, continue to help each other.”
And that is really what his annual cookout represents.
The Everybody Gotta Eat Cookout returns this Sunday, August 30, from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sydney Street in Cambridge at a new location.
Now in its seventh year, the cookout brings together food vendors, entrepreneurs, families and young people. Manny talked about everything from bounce houses and face painting to backpacks, scholarships, haircuts, dance contests and opportunities for small businesses to get their products in front of people.
For him, those opportunities matter because you never know what giving somebody a platform today could lead to tomorrow.
If there was one message Manny kept coming back to, it was this:
Keep pushing. Keep grinding. Support somebody else. And when you get an opportunity, make room for somebody else to eat too.
That is Everybody Gotta Eat.