In this episode of The Bounce Back Podcast with host B Luke, entrepreneur Emmanuel Mville opens up about his remarkable life journey. Growing up in the Port area of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in a Haitian family, Emmanuel faced early challenges after his father left for Haiti when he was just five years old. His mother later shared the painful news that his father had been killed, and she raised Emmanuel and his siblings as a single parent.
As a young teenager, Emmanuel found himself drawn into street life, initially motivated by the desire for material things, like expensive jackets. He attended several schools, including MIT, Kennedy in East Cambridge, and graduated from Rindge and Latin, where he played basketball. Despite his academic pursuits, he continued to be involved in street activities, and this led to a string of legal troubles.
His first brush with the legal system came from racial profiling incidents, but the most significant case came when he was arrested in Harvard Square on a gun charge. The case made headlines, and Emmanuel spent six months in jail without bail until a judge reduced it to $25,000. Despite the charges, he managed to beat them through studying law while incarcerated, ultimately winning a motion to suppress evidence using the “fruit of the poisonous tree” doctrine.
Later, Emmanuel faced even more serious charges, including federal gun possession charges from the ATF. Rather than turn himself in, he went on the run for five to six years, evading authorities across several states. He hid out in places like Hopkinton, MA, Miami, and Atlanta, but was eventually captured in Norwood after authorities tracked his phone. Emmanuel was held at Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island for nearly 20 months and faced federal guidelines that suggested a 64-78 month sentence. However, after working with his legal team, he received an “open plea” from Judge Toro, which reduced his sentence to four years, of which he served three.
During his time at FCI Allenwood Medium in Pennsylvania, Emmanuel encountered many inmates from Boston, particularly from Charlestown. He describes the facility, which was often shrouded in fog due to its mountainous location, and the transformative experience of playing basketball with his fellow inmates. His team made it to the finals, and the camaraderie provided an outlet for his frustrations.
After serving his time, Emmanuel’s life took a turn toward redemption and community service. He founded Everybody Got to Eat, a food blog inspired by watching Anthony Bourdain. The venture quickly grew into a catering and event curation business, earning him recognition, including an NAACP entrepreneurship award. Emmanuel has worked with notable figures like NBA stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, using his platform to give back to his community—a principle instilled in him by his mother, who was deeply involved in community service.
Today, Emmanuel attributes much of his success to his faith in God, a lesson passed down from his mother, who was a religious influence in his life. Along with his growing business, he recently launched a nonprofit focused on helping children who have lost parents—an experience he can personally relate to and much more.
