Michaela Bakala Speaks to the Liberal Ladies of the Lowcountry

At a time when democratic values are being tested in the United States and abroad, philanthropist and business leader Michaela Bakala delivered an inspiring and deeply personal keynote at the meeting of the Liberal Ladies of the Lowcountry on Hilton Head Island. Her message—“Courage, Freedom, Education: Values and Opportunities in Our New World”—wove together history, personal experience, and a call for civic resilience.

The Liberal Ladies of the Lowcountry, a volunteer-driven community of women committed to social progress and political engagement, hosted Bakala as their featured speaker. Once a primarily social group, the organization now focuses its energy on defending voting rights, supporting women’s issues, and strengthening democratic principles. They gather to mobilize, stay informed, and act.

A Personal Story with Global Lessons Bakala opened by explaining why she chose to speak about values and opportunity in today’s shifting world: “Because my own life story offers a mirror—another perspective—to better understand the world we are living in today, not only in the U.S. but also in Europe, especially Central Europe, where I come from.”

Born in 1971 in Czechoslovakia, a country that disappeared from the map in 1992, Bakala grew up in a nation shaped by centuries of empire, democracy, occupation, and authoritarian control. Her homeland—now the Czech Republic, a member of both EU and NATO—has experienced nearly every political system of the 20th century.

She reminded the audience that Bohemia, historically part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, emerged from the collapse of the Roman tradition of governance. In 1918, with strong support from the United States, Great Britain, and France, the democratic Czechoslovak Republic was created under the leadership of its founding father, President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, a progressive intellectual married to an American feminist.

Oppression, Resistance, and a Family’s Choice The promise of democracy was shattered during World War II under German occupation, and again in 1948 with a communist coup that placed the country firmly behind the Soviet Iron Curtain. Attempts at reform—most notably the Prague Spring of 1968—were crushed by Soviet tanks.

It was during this period of “normalization,” a suffocating era of political control and censorship, that Bakala’s parents chose to marry in a Protestant church and start a family.

“I was born into an anti-communist family during strict state control,” she recalled. “We were part of a social engineering campaign known as ‘Husak’s Children,’ intended to boost population growth.” Yet even amid repression, her generation soon witnessed a turning point in history.

In November 1989, as a newly accepted university student, Bakala joined thousands of others during the Velvet Revolution, the peaceful uprising that ended communist rule. She remembers the thrill and fear of marching through Prague’s streets, facing police cordons, and hearing the first calls for freedom. “It was the best time of my life,” she said. “A country that had offered no opportunities and suppressed free speech suddenly opened. The air was full of freedom.”

A Journey to America—and a Career Spent Supporting Women In 1990, shortly after the fall of communism, Bakala boarded a plane to New York—her first trip to the land that had long symbolized freedom.

This journey would shape her path as an entrepreneur, political communicator, and philanthropist. She later became Miss Czechoslovakia 1991, participated in Miss Universe 1992, and went on to organize national competitions that celebrated women’s achievements. For nearly two decades, she has championed women’s empowerment through projects such as TOP Czech Women.

Her career continued in politics and public affairs: she served as a spokesperson and public relations director for political parties, Chair of the Professional Association of Spokespersons, campaign manager, and later as founder of her own PR company. “I wanted to help build a new democracy, a new society, and a new free-market economy,” she explained.

Family, Philanthropy, and a Global Perspective In 2004 Bakala met her husband, businessman and philanthropist Zdenek Bakala. Together they manage investments in media, retail, and real estate, as well as philanthropical support for education, free journalism, human rights, and democratic institutions. They split their time between Europe, South Africa, and the United States, where Hilton Head Island is one of their homes. Bakala, now a U.S. green-card holder, spoke warmly of her intention to become an American citizen.

Together with her husband, she co-founded the Bakala Foundation, which provides scholarships, free-media programs, leadership initiatives, and opportunities for young people committed to democratic values. The Bakalas are also strategic partners of the Václav Havel Library, which preserves the legacy of one of the Czech Republic’s greatest champions of human rights. Bakala has collaborated with leaders and institutions around the world, from Madeleine Albright and Bill Clinton to the Aspen Institute Central Europe and the FW de Klerk Foundation in South Africa, where she serves on the board.

“Living in different systems—communism, socialism, capitalism—and in different parts of the world gave me perspective, resilience, humility, and a sense of responsibility to give back,” she shared.

Lessons for a World in Crisis Bakala warned that many of the democratic gains of the last 30 years are now at risk. Today, she noted, societies across the West face fear and instability, confusion and division, the erosion of trust, propaganda, fake news and AI-assisted manipulation, rising nationalism, authoritarianism, and attacks on institutions.

Drawing on her personal experience under communism, she highlighted disturbing parallels: • The blurring of truth and lies; • Vilification of political opponents; • Intimidation of journalists and academia; • Corruption fueled by loyalty; and • Isolationist rhetoric and disdain for international cooperation.

Bakala contrasted fascism, communism, and democratic socialism, emphasizing the human cost of authoritarian regimes—over 100 million lives lost during the 20th century. She also provided a comparative look at contemporary Europe and the United States, emphasizing the need for balanced, sustainable policies in areas such as healthcare, social support, and fiscal responsibility.

The Answer: Courage, Freedom, Education Despite the challenges, Bakala expressed deep hope. “We need courage to resist and get things done. We need freedom so people can grow into their full potential. And we need education—because without it, we cannot defend democracy.”

She closed by quoting Václav Havel, the playwright-president who helped lead the Velvet Revolution: “Hope is the belief that freedom and justice have meaning—and that liberty is always worth the effort. Love and truth must prevail.”

The enthusiastic applause from the Liberal Ladies of the Lowcountry recognized not only Bakala’s journey, but the values that connect communities across continents: courage in times of fear, freedom in times of pressure, and education in times of challenge.