Who We Are/What we do

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Micah Bradford
Founder & Artistic Director, MiMa, Inc. (Marching in Musical Advocacy)

Micah Bradford is an educator, musician, mentor, and nonprofit founder whose career has been shaped by the transformative power of music and mentorship. An Alabama All-State musician and certified music educator in Florida and Georgia, he brings more than two decades of experience helping students discover their abilities, develop confidence, and envision new possibilities for their futures.

A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Bradford began his musical journey under the guidance of influential band directors including Mr. John Lowery, Mr. Charles A. Cooper, Jr., and Dr. Thomas E. Lyle. Their investment in his development extended far beyond music instruction. Through encouragement, discipline, leadership opportunities, and personal example, they helped create pathways that ultimately changed the trajectory of his life.

While attending college, Bradford initially pursued Chemical Engineering before changing his major to Chemistry. His continued involvement in music and mentorship, however, helped him recognize his calling. During this period, he performed with the Montgomery Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Thomas E. Lyle, becoming the youngest member of an ensemble composed primarily of seasoned musicians and educators, including Mr. Lowery and Mr. Cooper. Performing alongside mentors who had guided him as a student gave him a lasting appreciation for the connection between music education and community leadership.

These experiences inspired Bradford to pursue Music Education as a profession. His band directors demonstrated that music educators do far more than teach notes and rhythms—they help students develop confidence, purpose, discipline, and a vision for their future.

Bradford often reflects on a conversation with his grandfather, Rev. Harrison L. Price, Sr., who told him while they sat on the porch together, “Boy, that schooling saved you.” Those words deepened his understanding that education and mentorship can change the course of a person’s life.

Since 2003, Bradford has served students as a music educator and band director in Alabama and Florida, teaching at both elementary and secondary levels. He holds music educator certifications in Florida and Georgia and looks forward to expanding his certification to additional states. His professional performance experience includes a nationwide tour as a trumpeter on Ruben Studdard’s 2004 Soulful Tour.

His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Stillman College, a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, and graduate studies in Educational Leadership at Capella University. He is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Educational Leadership at the University of Phoenix, where his work focuses on educational leadership, organizational effectiveness, community engagement, and student success.

Bradford is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity, Inc.; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; and the National Society of Leadership and Success. His commitment to music, service, achievement, and lifelong learning informs both his educational practice and his vision for MiMa.

Today, Bradford serves as Founder and Artistic Director of MiMa, Inc. (Marching in Musical Advocacy), a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth leadership development, mentorship, arts advocacy, and culturally responsive music education. Through MiMa’s Youth Leadership & Mentorship Initiative, Marching into Juneteenth–Marching into Freedom™ (MIJ-MIF™), and other programs, he seeks to ensure that young people receive the same kind of life-changing mentorship that helped shape his own journey.

Bradford’s philosophy is simple: mentorship changes lives. He believes that when adults intentionally invest in young people, music becomes more than an art form—it becomes a pathway to opportunity, purpose, leadership, and lifelong success.

MiMa’s guiding message, “Music is the Lure, Mentorship is the Mission,” reflects the lessons he learned from the mentors who invested in him decades ago: every young person deserves someone who believes in them before they fully believe in themselves.