'The Simpsons' writer, soccer star Hope Solo, and more join the 2019 Conference on World Affairs

A diverse group of more than 100 speakers representing 19 countries are coming to the University of Colorado Boulder campus April 9-13, 2019 for the 71st Conference on World Affairs.

Notable speakers include Mike Reiss, a longtime writer of “The Simpsons,” soccer star Hope Solo and Miriam Jordan, national immigration correspondent for The New York Times. The 2019 CWA will share a range of perspectives on today’s most pressing issues along with discussions on this year's core conference themes: “Design for Life: Breaking the Bubble,” “Disruptive Technology,” and “Women & Girls Changing the World.”

Of the 19 countries represented, speakers will travel to this year's conference from Belarus, Denmark, Georgia, Lebanon, Portugal, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The weeklong conference featuring panel discussions, performances, and plenaries is open to the public, without charge. In an effort to be more accessible to our campus and community audiences, the CWA will host a new Tuesday through Saturday schedule April 9-13, 2019. 

First-time CWA attendees include:

• Mike Reiss, Emmy award-winning writer & producer, "The Simpsons", (recently renewed through its 32nd season) and one of the first members of the original writing staff
• Hope Solo, World Cup and Olympic soccer champion and human rights activist, currently fighting for equal pay and increased diversity in US soccer
• Alexander Bard, philosopher, futurologist, & Swedish producer & TV personality
• Joshua David, co-founder of the High Line, (New York City's park in the sky) among the most innovative urban reclamation projects to date
• Miriam Jordan, national immigration correspondent, The New York Times and author of "Making President Trump’s Bed: A Housekeeper Without Papers" (one of the most-read articles produced by a national reporter at The New York Times in 2018)

Returning CWA speakers include:

• Brandon Anderson, American sociologist, criminal justice advocate, U.S. army veteran and founder of Raheem AI, a tech nonprofit working to end police violence
• Michelle Thaller, assistant director of science at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and host of the "Orbital Path with Michelle Thaller" podcast
• Susi Snyder, president of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning campaign coalition, (ICAN) International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

All speakers and performers are selected by the CWA program committee, comprised of student and community volunteers. See all of this year's attendees on the 2019 Speakers & Performers page. 

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