Think & Drink: Crises to Watch in 2026

Humanitarian needs, global hunger, and forced displacement are all near record highs at the same time as governments cut aid budgets and support for the world’s most vulnerable. Learn about which crises and conflicts are at the top of the International Rescue Committee’s 2026 Emergency Watchlist, as well as the geopolitical trends driving them.

Think & Drink lectures are free to attend and open to all ESU members and the public, but registration is required. These Think & Drink lecture programs often reach capacity, so we encourage ESU members to register now. You will also receive at least one reminder email about the event when you register.

When: Thursday, December 18, 2025, 6:00 pm

Location: Casual Animal Brewing,  1721-1725 McGee Street Kansas City, MO

About Guest Speaker: Ken Sofer

Ken Sofer is a policy expert, advocate, and strategic communicator with more than 15 years of experience advising global civil society, think tanks, and senior executives. He is the Founder & Principal of New Colossus Advisors, a strategic consulting firm focused on bringing advocacy and communications together to drive human-centric impact. In addition to his work leading New Colossus, Ken is a foreign policy professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Prior to founding New Colossus, Ken worked for the humanitarian aid charity, International Rescue Committee (IRC), which supports people in more than 50 countries whose lives have been shattered by crisis and conflict. He supported the organization’s mission as a policy advisor and speechwriter for the President & CEO, as well as leading the organization’s advocacy on issues ranging from child hunger to the climate crisis. Ken has also worked on US national security issues for the DC-based think tank the Center for American Progress and served as a foreign policy advisor to a presidential campaign.

About Think & Drink Lecture Series:

Think & Drink is an exciting new kind of event that combines educational topics with social gatherings. This one-hour lecture program was launched in July of 2025 by Casual Animal Brewing Company, a microbrewery in the East Crossroads area, south of downtown Kansas City. The lectures are held on the first and third Thursday of every month and bring together experts, academics, and curious minds for evening talks on topics that generate fresh perspectives, ideas, and discussion. No topic is off the table.