VOA under attack & the fight to stay free

I just had the pleasure of catching up with a former colleague of mine from the Voice of America — veteran journalist

Steve Herman

. He has spent decades reporting for VOA from around the world and is now at the center of a pivotal moment in American journalism — and in American democracy — as the Trump administration works to dismantle the international broadcaster and turn it into a propaganda machine.

We talked about what happens when the right to free speech and a free press is the target of political control, how it affects not just the facts but our collective nervous system, and what it takes to stay grounded and act with integrity — even when the system around you feels like it’s collapsing.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in for this intimate conversation, weaving from politics to philosophy to public health. Looking forward to more.