The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra proves that art isn't just entertainment—it can be a key part of building community. Through concerts that bring diverse audiences together and revitalization efforts that have transformed its downtown home, the MSO stands as one of Milwaukee's most dynamic civic institutions.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Mark Niehaus, President and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Mark spent 14 years as the MSO's principal trumpet before the board tapped him in 2012 to lead the organization.

Under his leadership, the MSO completed an extraordinary restoration of the 1930s Warner Grand Theatre, expanding it into the Bradley Symphony Center. It opened in 2021, sparking renewal along West Wisconsin Avenue. As Wisconsin's largest performing arts institution, the MSO employs 70 full-time professional musicians who perform over 130 concerts annually and generate an estimated $55 million in economic activity.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Mark's atypical career path from musician to organizational leader
• Why the Bradley Symphony Center restoration was critical for the orchestra's future
• The MSO's role in revitalizing downtown Milwaukee
• Growing institutionally at a time in which some orchestras are struggling
• Cultivating audiences for traditional art forms in a digital world
• The economic impact of arts organizations beyond cultural experience
• Hope for the future of orchestras and performing arts in America

An Interview with Gonzalo Schwarz and Clay Routledge, Archbridge Institute

Despite prevailing messages to the contrary, recent research reveals a surprising finding: nearly seven in ten Americans say they either believe they'll achieve the American Dream or already have.

Yet a deeper question remains: What does it actually take for people to flourish?

Our guests on this episode of Voices of Freedom have dedicated their careers to answering this question by building a bridge between the truths revealed by research and the narratives that drive people and society. Gonzalo Schwarz and Clay Routledge of the Archbridge Institute share insights from their work building a "human flourishing movement" that goes beyond traditional economic measures to understand what truly enables people to live better, fuller lives.

Together, they explain why most Americans remain optimistic about their futures—despite pessimistic narratives we often hear.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• How growing up in multiple countries shaped Gonzalo's understanding of institutions and opportunity
• Why Clay transitioned from academia to policy work and the connection between psychology and public policy
• Why Archbridge regards "human flourishing" as a better framework than traditional economic measures
• The "crisis of meaning" affecting young people and its impact on well-being and success
• Why young Americans are more pessimistic about the American Dream and how to encourage optimism
• Why most Americans remain optimistic about achieving the American Dream
• Breakthrough insights and policy solutions that could make a difference in people's lives

An Interview with Nathan McGrath, President and General Counsel of the Fairness Center

When public employees face retaliation for exercising their constitutional rights or encounter union corruption, where can they turn for help? Often, they're confronting powerful forces that possess unlimited resources – an uphill battle for any worker.

That's where organizations like the Fairness Center step in to level the playing field.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Nathan McGrath, President and General Counsel of the Fairness Center, a nonprofit law firm providing free legal services to public-sector employees hurt by union officials. Since the landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME, Nathan and his team have been on the front lines helping workers understand and exercise their rights.

From challenging illegal contract provisions to exposing embezzled union dues, Nathan's work touches on fundamental questions about individual liberty, the constitution, and the role of public-sector unions in America

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Nathan's transition from private practice to constitutional and labor law
• The Fairness Center's mission to help public employees
• How the 2018 Janus v. AFSCME decision changed the landscape for public-sector workers
• Why small financial disputes can raise crucial constitutional principles
• How different state laws affect public employees' rights across the country
• The broader impact of the Fairness Center's work on worker liberty
• The biggest challenges facing public-sector employees today

For more than four years, one of the greatest entrepreneurs in Hong Kong's history has been in solitary confinement on sham charges that could lead to imprisonment for life. Despite being held in a small cell, 77-year-old Jimmy Lai has become one of Beijing's greatest threats and one of the world's most courageous leaders in the fight for freedom.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Mark L. Clifford, Lai's close friend and an advocate for freedom in Hong Kong. He shares Lai's remarkable story, from his childhood in poverty, to his rise as a successful business owner and newspaper publisher, to his stand against tyranny.

This year, The Bradley Foundation has awarded Lai with an Honorary Bradley Prize for his unwavering commitment to the ideals of freedom.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Lai's childhood on mainland China and why he fled to Hong Kong
• How Lai was able to quickly rise above his circumstances
• The influence of free market ideas on Lai's career and life
• The impact of Tiananmen Square and the massacre of 1989
• Lai's introduction to Catholicism and how religion shaped his belief system
• Lai's decision to stay in Hong Kong and take a stand for freedom
• Lai's state of mind after more than four years in prison
• Why the Chinese Communist Party fears Lai
• Whether there's hope for Hong Kong's democratic movement

About Mark L. Clifford:

Clifford is president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, the former executive director of the Asia Business Council, and a former board member at Next Digital. He is editorial chair of the Asian Review of Books and served as editor in chief of both English-language papers in Hong Kong, The Standard and the South China Morning Post.

An Interview with Christopher Rufo, Writer, Filmmaker and Commentator

For more than half a century, many of America's most revered institutions have been infiltrated with ideas that run counter to the country's founding principles. This ideological capture has been acute within prestigious universities, to the point where the opportunity for viewpoint diversity continues to be under severe threat.

Yet, according to our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom, all is not lost. In fact, he believes that there has been an ideological shift not only within higher education, but in society, politics, culture and in civic institutions. And, he says, it's only beginning.

Christ Rufo discusses how his unique background, which is rooted in both scholarship and filmmaking, has led him to believe that it's possible and vital to restore the principles of American exceptionalism.

Topics Discussed on this Episode

• Why Chris went into documentary filmmaking upon graduation from Georgetown University.
• What Chris learned directing documentaries and why he focused on urban areas
• How Chris' filmmaking experience turned him into an advocate for solutions to the problems he was seeing
• Reversing the ideological capture of higher universities and how to turn ideas rooted in scholarship into reality.
• Opportunities to change the culture in institutions that seem permanently captured, such as government, higher education, and entertainment
• Why the younger generation is gravitating towards values and ideals traditionally tied to free enterprise, liberty and free speech
• The rise of independent media and how it has contributed to the cultural shift
• What it means to receive a Bradley Prize

About Christopher Rufo Rufo is a bestselling author, filmmaker and commentator, whose work has significantly influenced contemporary American culture and policies. He's also a senior fellow and director of the initiative on critical race theory at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal.

Rufo is a 2025 Bradley Prize winner.

An Interview with Barry Strauss, Esteemed Classicist, Military and Naval Historian, and Best-selling Author

Different civilizations, cultures and countries have experienced the rise of remarkable leaders. While these leaders may have ruled under vastly different circumstances, they often share similar characteristics. Many too, have made the same costly mistakes.

Our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom is Barry Strauss, a leading historian who has explored many fascinating leaders, particularly from ancient classical times. He deepens our understanding about the universal qualities of leadership and shares lessons of the ancient world that remain applicable today.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• What drew Barry to the study of the ancient world and the leaders who shaped it
• Universal qualities of a capable and effective leader
• Common mistakes that great leaders have made and what can be learned from them
• The ancient leader that fascinates Barry the most
• Barry's experiences in promoting free speech within the academy
• Why free speech has been restricted within higher education
• What previous civilizations tell us about free speech, including who had the privilege or right to practice it
• The history of disinformation and how it was used in the ancient world
• Barry's process of bringing ancient leaders to life through his writing
• How to get young people to engage with the classical world
• Whether the ideals of the Western tradition are at threat of being lost
• Reaction to winning a Bradley Prize

About Barry Strauss

Barry Strauss is a bestselling author, and an esteemed military and naval historian. He is currently the Corliss Page Dean Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Series Editor of Princeton's Turning Points in Ancient History. Barry is also the Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies Emeritus at Cornell University, where he was the Chair of the Department of History as well as Professor of History and Classics.

In addition, he is a 2025 Bradley Prize winner.

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An Interview with James Piereson, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute, and Trustee, Thomas W. Smith Foundation

The vigorous forces shaping American society, politics, and the economy today could have a transformative impact on the country's future. Even amidst a sea of change and political realignments, our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom, says that the Constitution will be an enduring structure that continues to guide us.

James Piereson has dedicated his career to American history, Constitutional thought, and philanthropy. He shares his thoughts on the current environment in the US, the role of ideas in politics today, the state of the Constitution, and more.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Jim's path to the study of American history and constitutional thought
• The current political and ideological realignment in the U.S.
• Whether the center right needs a "new fusionism"
• Areas around which conservatives can coalesce today
• The state of the Constitution
• How universities should be responding to the realities of today's environment
• Philanthropy's role in a polarized climate
• Ways in which philanthropy can address societal problems
• Reaction to receiving a Bradley Prize

About James Piereson:

James Piereson is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Public Policy, where he writes on philanthropy, higher education, and general political subjects.

Previously, he was president and trustee of the William E. Simon Foundation, which was a private grant-making foundation with interests in education and religion. Before that, Jim was the executive director of the John M. Olin Foundation, also a private grant-making foundation, which worked to advance conservative ideals.

He has served on the political science faculties of several prominent universities, serves on the board of many non-profit organizations, and is a distinguished published author.

He is also a 2025 Bradley Prize winner.

An Interview with Mark Klug, Chief Executive Officer, Christian Family Solutions

Public awareness about mental health has never been greater, but barriers to treatment remain.

According to our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom, integrating faith with proven therapeutic treatment can have a transformational impact on those who are dealing with anxiety, depression or who are healing from trauma.

Mark Klug, CEO of Christian Family Solutions (CFS), says that a faith-based approach to addressing mental health can build a level of hope and sense of inherent worth in every individual. He shares these insights and more.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

· Mark's background in the behavioral health field and what drives him to serve people

· The impact of Christian-based counseling on those who use it

· The underlying issues contributing to the rise in mental health issues among youth.

· Redefinitions of mental health and how Social and Emotional Learning can undermine a child's resilience

· CFS's onsite counseling services and how it works in schools

· CFS's new day treatment program, one of the first of its kind in the nation

· Community Counseling Care Partnership, which works with congregations to identify and serve people in the community who are experiencing challenging personal issues

· The key ingredients to leading a fulfilling life

About Mark Klug:

Mark Klug is the CEO of CFS, a position he's held for ten years. Founded in 1965, CFS offers a range of counseling services from a Christian perspective to people of all ages. Specifically, CFS has developed a robust school-based counseling program to reach children who would otherwise have difficulty accessing mental health services.

It's a magical sight when a once lifeless plant begins to blossom because of the right conditions. According to one of our guests on this episode of Voices of Freedom, working with young people from challenging circumstances is analogous to tending a garden. When someone is struggling or hopeless, it can be hard to see the possibilities ahead for them. Yet with nurturing, understanding and patience, change can take root that allows them to bloom.

For four decades, Running Rebels has intervened in the lives of thousands of young people, helping them become thriving, engaged, contributing citizens. Victor and Dawn Barnett lead Running Rebels together. They share what youth need to thrive and why they're optimistic about the next generation.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• What led Victor and Dawn to dedicate their lives to working with young people
• How Running Rebels filled a void in the Milwaukee area
• The challenges kids face today versus in the 1980s and 90s
• The qualities that make someone a good mentor and how to find mentors
• Organizations across the country that mentor young people
• How to connect with kids who are tough to reach and how to deal with kids who fall back into destructive behaviors
• Running Rebels' program to help kids succeed while in college
• The biggest misconception about the kids Running Rebels helps
• What gives Dawn and Victor hope for the future

About Victor and Dawn Barnett:

At the age of 19, Victor Barnett saw many of the young people of Milwaukee being pulled into the street life of gangs, crime, and violence. He used basketball as the tool to engage, mentor, and guide youth towards an alternative path that would ensure their future success. From this vision and action, Running Rebels Community Organization was born.

Dawn Barnett's career began over 20 years ago when she saw a boy playing with a basketball in front of her house. Impressed by his skills, she learned that he was a member of the Running Rebels basketball team. She soon met Victor and was inspired to become involved. Since that time, she has helped turn Running Rebels into an organization that now serves 2,500 youth annually in Milwaukee.

An Interview with Laura Sumner-Coon, Executive Director of Racine Literacy Council (RLC)

It might seem counterintuitive for leaders of nonprofit organizations to try to work themselves out of their jobs. Yet our guest on this episode of Voices of Freedom believes that should in fact be their goal.

Laura Sumner-Coon, Executive Director of Racine Literacy Council (RLC), has spent her career starting and leading organizations that are driven to help individuals build better lives.

As she shares on this episode, non-profits should not be afraid to work themselves out of existence. It's an approach Sumner-Coon carries with her at RLC, an organization that supports the literacy needs of residents who seek to reach their full potential and become engaged citizens.

Topics Discussed on this Episode:

• Laura's experience working with non-profits and in education reform
• Why she started, and decided to shut down Racine SOAR, an organization that helped parents and schools navigate the area's first parental choice program
• RLC's importance to an industrial community like Racine
• The circumstances of those who use RLC's services, how it helps them achieve their goals, and how they become more engaged citizens
• The extent of RLC's reach beyond its brick-and-mortar building
• RLC's 60th anniversary and its future plans

Laura Sumner-Coon started out her career as a reporter and editor for various newspapers, including the former Milwaukee Journal and the Journal Times. She then held communication and development roles with the Racine Dominican Sisters and from there, began a career in education reform, including founding and leading a grassroots effort to establish the first parental choice program in Racine, Wisconsin. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the teacher preparation program.