Community Hero Jonathan Avant may wear many hats, but he has one goal: Improve Montgomery

Jonathan Avant has a holistic approach to helping Montgomery grow.

“Everything around us was built by God, and a business,” said Avant, the Advertiser’s Community Hero for October. “That can be a powerful dynamic if the message is right.”

Avant is an accountant who works with businesses, often minority-owned ones. He's also a leader for both downtown and education, a source of soul-soothing music, and a father of two daughters, Jazz Marie, 7, and Juliana Symone, 5.

“I want to raise my daughters to be better, to be stronger, to be smarter and wiser,” Avant said. “They were born here, and they’re being raised here, just like I was. They’re my legacy.”

Every day, Avant uses all the tools in his interactive skill set, and not necessarily in places you'd imagine. For example, the hip hop vocals he forged as a child blend into today's public speaking. Growing up in front of a congregation made it so crowds don't make him nervous.

“Who I am creatively is who I am authentically, at any time of the day," Avant said. "That creative ability allows me to walk into any room and just be myself. A lot of times, people struggle with that.”

His human approach helps to earn trust and gain fans.

“Jonathan has a personality that inspires others,” said longtime musician and educator Coleman Woodson Jr., who has worked closely with Avant on stage and with the Alabama Jazz and Blues Federation. “He’s very easy to work with and always a joy to be around.”

Avant said he’s been blessed with a perspective and a life that has taken his belief system and rolled it all the way up to the economic level.

“We have to talk to each other,” Avant said. “But before we talk with each other, we have to connect with each other. Before we connect with each other, we have to have a value on each other’s lives to connect to, and be interested in connecting in a true and honest way.”

One of the many people Avant has connected with is Clay McInnis, Montgomery City Councilman and the previous DBA Montgomery president.

“If you know him, you’re fortunate. If you’re friends, you’re definitely blessed,” said McInnis, who has known Avant for about seven years. They met through a DBA Montgomery Mardi Gras block party.

“He’s a good friend, and really a servant leader in downtown,” McInnis said. “Not only is he a gifted musician and a talented guy, he’s an awesome dad and a great person. He can really inspire a lot of people.”

Becoming Avant, from military brat to musical accountant

“I joke that I’m about as Montgomery as you can get,” said Avant. His parents, Glen and Brenda, brought him into the world at Maxwell Air Force Base. Glen is a retired airman.

When the Avants left the base, they moved into the city. Avant has three older siblings — brother Maurice, and sisters Melinda Walker and Shona Thomas. They’re all military brats.

“Being the baby of four is special,” he said. “My brother and sisters, via military, were born in different places. I’m the only one born in Montgomery, although they were partially raised here.”

Avant said he was drawn into the world of music by his church roots, and his relatives.

“I have a few trumpet players in my family,” Avant said. “And I was in church about five times a week. One thing about the South, you know our church groups have some good musicians. That’s my foundation to this day. I love God, and the community I come from is filled with great musicians and great talent.”

Great speakers as well. His mother is an evangelist, and his dad is a church deacon.

“I just remember growing up, going from church, to church, to church, watching my mom preach,” Avant said. “I just thought that was so cool.”

After graduating from Jefferson Davis High School, Avant went to Alabama State University on a full music scholarship, where he became a member of the nationally renowned Mighty Marching Hornets band. Then he transferred to Auburn Montgomery to earn an accounting degree.

“I went into accounting in school as a safe plan B, in case music didn’t work out,” Avant said. “But I didn’t know that once I simultaneously got into banking that my heart for people was going to lead me directly into accounting.”

Through the lens of accounting, he saw ways to make deeper changes to help business owners in his community.

“You have a lot of business owners who have trouble accessing capital,” Avant said. “From a banking standpoint, the only thing I could tell then was yes or no, and here’s why. But my heart, coming from the church, coming from the community, I just always had a heart for people… My conversation would always want to go deeper, after the yes and the no and the why. I wanted to do something about the why.”

Too much opportunity, not enough capitalEven successful small businesses in Montgomery struggle to draw investors

He began partnering with local accountants, and soon noticed a representation issue.

“At one point, I was the only Black commercial banker in central Alabama,” Avant said. “I knew at that point that representation was something that was holding everyone back.”

One of Avant’s biggest business influences is his brother-in-law, Daryl Thomas. “He played a big, big role on my business side growing up,” Avant said. “He’s the one who taught me how to interview and get into banking. He kind of gave me the push to get into accounting.”

Another mentor is Corey Savoie, a partner at Aldridge, Borden & Co. Avant became an accountant there in April 2021. He’s a team member in the OneSource department, which focuses on providing accounting services to small and minority owned businesses. It’s work that he says fits him like a glove.

“With that, I also have a more focused approach, me personally, on minority owned businesses,” Avant said. “I believe that’s important to Montgomery’s overall growth. That really needs to be nurtured for our kids to have a successful future here.”

Building downtown through DBA Montgomery

“I want downtown to be a place where you want to come and meet new people, do new things,” Avant said.

It’s no secret that Montgomery has a complicated history. Avant said it’s important to reconcile that while building a future. With major growth from projects like Equal Justice Initiative’s museum and memorial, Avant said Montgomery needs to tell its story.

“It’s time for our downtown to represent what our city feels,” Avant said. “What our city can become.”

As the president of DBA Montgomery, the Downtown Business Association, he’s in a unique position to help make that happen.

“I think it’s only right for our community now to change that narrative and create a future based off of meaningful connection,” Avant said.

In the next year, Avant said he would like to see equitable growth happen downtown. He said this is a great time for minority businesses to plug in and fill some of the remaining open storefronts.

“We’re in a very opportunistic time in our growth as an organization,” Avant said. “Downtown is in this spot of revitalization, post-pandemic. You’ve got a lot of new businesses coming downtown. You’ve got a few business closures. It’s how we navigate that in becoming the Montgomery that the world can see us as.”

Musical talent from God, family and major influences

Avant is also a veteran Montgomery musician, with a sound that stems from his rich religious background.

“A lot of what I do in the community oozes out through my music,” he said. “I’m a trumpeter and vocalist. When it comes down to my music, it’s my way to exercise my creative side, and speak and connect with a lot more people that would never enter a board room.”

His work has a heavy jazz influence, but he’s also into hip-hop, funk and soul, both singing and as a trumpet player.

Among his major influences growing were well known jazz trumpet musicians and composers like Roy Hargrove, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. There were local musicians as well, like La’Roy Bodiford, Sam Williams and the late Steve Ellington.

“Wynton Marsalis, he really touched me in a musical way when he came down,” Avant said. In high school, Avant’s band director took students to see Marsalis play.

Avant’s school friends and big brother Maurice also turned him into a hip-hop fanatic growing up.

“I started freestyling when I was a teenager, man,” Avant said. “It was a handful of me and my closest friends…. Now, that skill set helps me out. People don’t know where my public speaking comes from. My public speaking comes from hip hop. It’s part hip hop and part gospel.”

Under his artist name, Jonathan Michael, he recently released his first single “Purpose” on streaming platforms. It's a song that focuses on his lessons, blessings and goals in life.

“The new music that he’s releasing is so great,” McInnis said.

An album is set to be released in February 2023.

“As a musician, Jonathan brings that same creativity and inspiration to his music,” Woodson said. “I frequently tease him and call him little Miles. I feel that his approach to music expresses a deep emotion that is almost spiritual in nature. I’m curious to see where he takes his ideas in the future.”

Along with making his own music, Avant is helping others realize their studio dreams. He’s a partner in Technical Earth Recorders, located next to The Sanctuary on Goldthwaite Street.

“We’re in the improvements phase right now,” Avant said of Technical Earth. “We’re ready to welcome the community back there in a growing area of Five Points.”

A love of music is being passed along to Avant’s daughters. “They already play trumpet, and they already sing,” Avant said. “They’re starting piano and drum lessons.”

Now that the road to busking is open for musicians, Avant would like to see more outdoor performances throughout downtown, and more live shows at downtown venues.

“Let’s get out and create,” he said.

Other roles for Avant

Helping grow a new generation of entrepreneurs is important to Avant, who serves on the advisory board of AUM’s College of Business and on the board of downtown's Valiant Cross Academy.

“Education is very, very important to me,” he said.

He’s the vice chair of the Montgomery County Cooperative District that’s bringing the whitewater course project to Montgomery.

Avant is also an honorary commander for Maxwell Air Force Base's contracts division.

Each of his areas play a different part in making the Montgomery community a better place, through economic development, increasing tourism, and raising the basic quality of life.

“In fostering an environment that’s built around connection, I think all roads lead to that,” Avant said. “That’s why my other hats kind of fall in place very seamlessly.”

About Community Heroes Montgomery

Community Heroes Montgomery, sponsored by South University, profiles one person each month.

The 12 categories the Montgomery Advertiser will focus on: educator, health, business leader, military, youth, law enforcement, fire/EMT, nonprofit/community service, religious leader, senior volunteer, entertainment (arts/music) and athletics (such as a coach).

Do you know a Community Hero?

To nominate someone for Community Heroes Montgomery, email communityheroes@gannett.com. Please specify which category you are nominating for and your contact information.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel at sheupel@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: October's Community Hero: Jonathan Avant's goal to improve Montgomery