In a post-pandemic world, just over 1/3 of students report experiencing struggles with mental health; just under half report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness; 1/5 have seriously considered suicide and just under 10% have attempted it. In adults, anxiety and depression rates have increased over 25% since the pandemic. Stress, anxious feelings, anxiety and fear are not only crippling teachers, but forcing many to leave the profession.

Adding in the impact of technology and the influence of social media, to name just two more challenges, and we find our current generation of students and teachers in a most challenging and seemingly unimprovable world. However, a possible solution in attempting to address these issues already exists in most schools across the US. It has been backed by not only research, but by the participants themselves. Never has there been a more important time than right now for music education and the myriad of accompanying benefits.

B4B is a self-contained bicycle ride from Los Angeles to Washington D.C., to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining – and establishing – music education opportunities for students to provide information based on Crisis Incident Stress Management (CISM) practices for teacher and student wellness as well as raising funds for The Music Guerrilla (501.c3), whose mission has a special emphasis on underserved/underfunded programs, both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Milt Allen, TMG’s Chief Visioneer, is an internationally recognized music educator, conductor, speaker, author and avid adventurer. “Doc” will be setting out from the Santa Monica Pier in late August/early September, 2024 and arriving in Washington D.C. tentatively late October/early November, providing clinics, keynotes and chats in the evenings along the way when possible.

Dr. Allen’s work through TMG includes providing onsite clinics and short residencies in the US along with ongoing commitments in Rwanda, Zambia and Compton, CA. The post-pandemic business climate has put a hardship on
obtaining the funding needed to not only conJnue these commitments, but to explore new ones both in the US and abroad.

Currently, there are 2 trips to both Rwanda and Compton and 1 trip to Zambia tentatively scheduled in 2024/early 2025. Trips to Africa alone are around $3000 each, yet the cost pales in comparison to the opportunity it provides in places that have no access to additional onsite instruction, materials, and mentoring, nor the funding to do so.