Mompreneurs: Maya Smart

Maya Payne Smart, a lifelong book lover and passionate literacy advocate, discovered her calling when she became a mother. Today, she’s a trusted voice in children’s literacy. As an author and educator, she’s on a mission to help children build a strong foundation in language and literacy by equipping parents and caregivers with practical, everyday strategies to raise confident readers. In this episode of Mompreneurs, Smart reflects on her journey and shares how parents can nurture a love for reading in a technology-driven world.

“Motherhood absolutely prompted all of my work in early literacy.”

Smart’s interest in how children learn to read was sparked by the birth of her daughter, Zora (a nod to the great Zora Neale Hurston). She recalled, “It wasn’t until I had my daughter in 2011 that I started coming across news articles about vast reading achievement disparities between Black children and white children, and children from less wealthy backgrounds and more privileged backgrounds.”

Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Smart inherited her love of books from a family of avid readers. “My mom’s bookshelf was in my room, so I grew up looking at all the spines of these amazing books that were part of my mom’s collection that just happened to overflow into my room,” she said. “I’ve been surrounded by books, and an appreciation for Black literature and authors, for as long as I can remember.”

“Volunteering took that to a different level.”

Mompreneurs: Maya Smart — Source: Provided by Maya Smart

Eager to deepen her understanding of early literacy, Smart began volunteering wherever she could—at book festivals, early childhood education programs, and other literacy initiatives—to gain insight into the work happening behind the scenes.

She’s since written a book, Reading for Our Lives: The Urgency of Early Literacy and the Action Plan to Help Your Child, which highlights practical, evidence-backed steps for nurturing young readers.

“It continues to be a very slow transition into fully embracing the entrepreneurial elements and the business side.”

On the business side of her advocacy, Smart admits it’s been difficult to put a price on her passion. But with her daughter watching her every move, mom did what she had to do.

“Having my daughter and knowing that she’s watching me—knowing that she’s old enough to observe how I move in the world—really adds a level of accountability to everything that I do. I want her—as she grows and develops and pursues her interests, whatever they may be—I want her to always value herself and know her worth.”

“You’re the parent, you set the rules.”

In a world increasingly driven by technology and screens, getting kids excited about reading can feel like an uphill battle. It begins with the parents. From modeling appropriate usage to establishing clear boundaries and perhaps delaying access to devices, Smart affirmed, “It’s what we model, it’s what we tolerate.”

She recognizes the growing reliance on AI and voice-to-text tools, which can shift attention away from reading fundamentals. But literacy is about more than word recognition alone.

“There’s no substitute for being able to think on your own. It matters in the development of you as a person, even beyond school.”

Parents have more power than they realize when it comes to laying the groundwork for fluent readers. “Parents are extraordinarily important as vocabulary builders for children,” Smart emphasized. Something as simple as speaking to babies helps nurture comprehension. No expensive toys or tech required—just a parent or caregiver’s voice and their attention. “We really are our children’s first teachers,” she said.

Don’t miss the full conversation. Watch this episode of Mompreneurs above.

Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every week.

Welcome to Season 4 of Mompreneurs—where we spotlight brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Monday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.

Categories: Entrepreneurship