Q: Cierra, has reading always been a requirement in your household as parents, and how did you go about instilling that in Manny?

CJ: Oh, that’s a good question. And yes, it has been a requirement. I usually try to say, ‘OK, let’s do 15 minutes of reading each day.’ We don’t always do it every day, but I always try to encourage it. And it got to the point where I didn’t have to tell him to do it. He would pick up the books on his own. So it’s definitely been something that we have been trying to establish in our house household. And I think it’s gone really well.

Q: What type of books and literature did you guys introduce him to? Because I know it’s a lot different now. I feel like kids who are Manny’s age have a wider variety of books to choose from, especially with this whole era of Black-owned books and books targeted toward children of color regarding self-esteem and self-image. So what types of books were prevalent in your household? And Manny, what are your favorite types of books now?

CJ: So we have a huge array of books in the house, like you said, from self-image books. We have Christian books. He reads comic books. So there’s like a wide variety of books that he has to read. 

MJ: My favorite book is Dog Man, which is basically a comic, but it’s like in a book.

Q: So let’s get into the actual book. What was the inspiration behind writing the book? I know a lot of people started doing things during the pandemic when they were shut in, but, was this something that came along? Or was this something that Manny brought to you guys? How was that whole idea sparked?

CJ: We were kind of just sitting around talking and just talking about how we are proud of him, because he has a YouTube channel and is proud that he still does the YouTube channel and doesn’t allow his stuttering and stuff to hold him back. In talking about that, we were like, ‘You know what? He really needs to share his story.’ And we came up with the idea. So it was definitely something we presented to him. And I would say initially, he was a little hesitant because it’s his story. It’s a personal story. But we were able to convince him to share it with the world.

Q: Manny, how did they convince you? Because I can imagine that might be a little scary or intimidating to take on something as big as becoming an author. You’re still a kid, even though you’re a rockstar. So how did they have to convince you to go about being a part of writing the book? And talk a little bit about how you feel if your speech impediment may have given you any insecurities with it, or how your parents went about making sure that you were OK with it.

MJ: So how they convinced me about writing the book was they said that I could inspire a lot of people from your story of stuttering. And they kept saying that until they convinced me enough to write the book.

Q: And you speak openly about stuttering. Was that something that you were insecure about in school? What was your experience as far as your speech impediment growing up alongside your peers? How did you go about gaining confidence and just understanding that was part of what you are, and how that makes you special?

MJ: How I found confidence through it just really by watching my parents and making me feel I can make it. They gave me confidence. One of the reasons why I am OK with how I talk, and I think one of the other ways how I find confidence through my stuttering, is that it doesn’t really annoy me when I stutter. It’s just something that makes me. 

Q: How did you guys sit down and write it together, or did Manny did you really take on the leadership role and how you wanted the story to be? How long was the writing process?

MJ: It was really not that long for us to write the book. We had each page basically in our minds already.

CJ:  We sat down as a family and really kind of picked Manny’s brain. So the things that are included in the book are the things that he likes to do and things that he wants to be when he grows up. So we really wanted it to be like, ‘OK, this is who I am, and by the way, I do stutter, and it’s OK. It makes me unique, and it’s just a part of who I am.’ We sat down together and kind of just fleshed it all out. And here we go. Here it is.

Q: Was this something you got Manny’s educational family involved in since, obviously, school is a huge part of his life? He seems like he’s a really social kid. And, as great as Manny is, we all know that other kids may not be so great. There’s the whole thing with bullying. So how did all that come about with Manny being in school, and how have his peers reacted to it?

CJ: Good question. It’s funny you asked that because a part of the book is a story that actually happened to him. I guess the whole stuttering thing wasn’t really like a big thing within our household. And that’s something that we talk a lot about. But he was at an event, and a kid was like, ‘Why do you talk like that?’ And Manny’s reaction was just so awesome. He was just like, ‘Yeah, you know, I do. And, you know, it’s OK. It’s just how I talk.’ And just kind of moved on. So I think, that hopefully from what I see, it seems like the confidence that we’ve been trying to instill in him worked. Because he didn’t allow that situation to emotionally upset him or anything like that. He just addressed it and kept it moving. 

And so from this whole book, we also have started what we call the Confident Kids’ Movement, where we want other kids to have this same confidence that Manny has developed, and confident kids is an acronym for kindness, intelligence, determination, and service – all the things that we believe that is very prevalent in establishing a confident kid. So from this, that movement happened. 

Also, he has been doing readings at schools. He has some book fair events coming up. So it’s definitely a whole movement that has started because of this.

Q: So, Manny, you have fans now. Do you have a nickname for your fans? Like, you know how Beyoncé has the BeyHive. So, do you have a special name for what you call your readers nowadays?

MJ: The Manny Squad!

Q: So now that the book is out, and you all have had have been having such positive reception, and have this other movement that’s attached to it, what are you guys hoping to do moving forward? Is this something that you want to continue? People write books and maybe get them turned into like an animated series. What are your short-term goals, and then what are your big-shot dreams?

CJ: I would say all those things. It’s funny because, since Manny released the book, all of the juices are flowing. So we’re sitting around the house, or I’ll call my husband, or he’ll call me like, ‘You know what we need to do?’ Like when you say the animated series, I would love to.

MJ: I would love to do something for an animated kids’ TV series.

CJ: And we want comedy kids to be the center of that. We would love to do conferences and come up with a curriculum for The Confident Kids so we can share it with other kids, and then they can start their own company or kids’ movement in their city or in their state. So, we definitely have a lot of things in the works. We would love for kids to be able to write their own It’s OK to Be Me, so we definitely have a lot of things that we’re thinking about.

Q: How are you all going about keeping him centered as his popularity grows, and keeping him protected from the hate that can come online as well?

CJ: I would say that we are definitely a faith-based family, so we make sure that he knows God, and that He is the center that he goes back to when he is facing trials and tribulations. So that would be number one. But also, we have a strong family center. So we always keep that as the foundation as well. And then, we always just try to make sure that he knows who he is. When you know who you are, you’re not looking to outside sources to tell you that. Even when outside people are trying to break you down, you know who you are. So you are strong in that. And the outside forces don’t deter you from knowing who you are in that core. So we try to keep him humble that way.

Q: Manny, how are you handling all of this positivity that’s coming your way? Is it keeping you inspired? Do you have new friends now? How’s everything been going for you?

MJ: It’s been going good. It’s definitely cool that I’ve got brand new fans now, and the other kids are inspired by the book