Brothers turn business into a mission to inspire and give back at Juneteenth celebration

Zanesville, OH- Community, culture, and history came together today at the Nelson T. Gant House in Zanesville for a Juneteenth “Celebrate and Educate” event.

Hosted by the Nelson T. Gant Foundation, the event honored the significance of Juneteenth with food, performances, and family friendly activities. The holiday marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas learned they were free.

Among the vendors was Flash Fusion 360, a local photo booth business run by brothers Bryan Chandler and Jason Smoot. The two were at the event capturing memories and giving back.

“We are here for our community, two brothers that have changed their lives around, we’ve got hope, we’ve got inspiration, we’ve got dreams, the dream came from this, 1865, Juneteenth, it inspired us but also inspired lives, we have a story to tell,” said Community Entrepreneur, Bryan Chandler.

Chandler and Smoot are donating 10% of today’s proceeds to the Nelson T. Gant Foundation. They also run other businesses that help the community and promote youth outreach and mentorship especially for young men facing challenges.

“We have a lot of mentors, a lot of group support, we’re also trying to make sure we provide men’s mentoring, so if there’s anybody out there, men, young men, that are out there struggling with their mental health, please get at us, hit us up on Facebook, we would like to do something like the Big Brothers Association, we want to give back, we changed our lives and it’s possible to change your life, it just takes a simple step, we can help you get there,” said Community Entrepreneur, Jason Smoot.

Flash Fusion 360 is available for events and actively seeking community sponsors. Chandler and Smoot can be found on social media under their own names. You can also contact them at (740)-607-2372.

The Nelson T. Gant House Juneteenth event will return next year.