V Spehar
V Spehar, aka @underthedesknews, is an award-winning, LGBTQIA+ podcast host and social media personality who puts complex news stories into layman’s terms for their 3 million + followers. A sought after speaker on authenticity and resilience, V is also a seasoned
community builder and an advocate for civic participation and empathy on social media.
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After the Rainbow
A story of coming out, and what comes next. In this keynote, V takes the audience through their journey of navigating queerness, and building community with unexpected allies. This story speaks to the power of resilience, finding your authentic self, and making
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Sound It Out
A story of navigating dyslexia, and overcoming learning insecurity. In this keynote V takes the audience through their journey with Dyslexia, and how they overcame their disability to become one of social media’s most trusted communicators. This story speaks to the power of resilience, asking for help, and leveraging a student mentality to achieve success later in life.
See V Spehar in action.
Podcast host and TikTok Journalist/Creator, Under The Desk News
V Spehar (they/them) is a Rochester-based LGBTQIA+ podcaster, online personality and citizen journalist. Spehar launched
Under the Desk News on TikTok in April 2020 with the aim to make news media less intimidating and easier to understand and rapidly amassed 2.9 million followers. Their one-minute segments (literally delivered from under a desk) have attracted a bipartisan audience. In 2022, Spehar launched V Interesting, a GLAAD-nominated long-form podcast with original reporting that tackles various topics from Gen Z voter engagement to gender-affirming surgery. Their reporting has taken them to the press room of the 2023 State of the Union to hosting the NBC’s livestream of the Thanksgiving Day Parade to speaking at UNESCO summits. This year, V received a special achievement Webby for their concise and compassionate reporting.
Our speakers get attention.
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The 2025 Out100: V SpeharDigital journalist Vitus “V” Spehar started their wildly successful TikTok channel by covering the news from under their desk.
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TIME100 Creators 2025More than half of Americans get at least some of their news from social media, according to Pew Research. So it’s no surprise that V Spehar—better known online as Under…
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V Spehar Stamps That ‘Lesbians Getting Boyfriends’ Isn’t a Crisis – It’s a Sign of Sexual FIn today’s LGBTQ+ culture, few topics stir up as much online discourse as when a famous lesbian reveals she’s dating a man.
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Digital Journalist and Award-Winning Podcaster V Spehar Discusses Navigating Nontraditional Media, TikTok Ban at Compelling PerspectivesThe host of @underthedesknews and the podcast “V Interesting” spoke about their experience breaking into nontraditional media and what it means to be a journalist.
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V Spehar reflects on 4 years of Under the Desk News, the TikTok ban & tension with traditional mediaV Spehar’s journey from food advocacy to becoming one of TikTok’s most trusted LGBTQ+ news voices is remarkable.
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Biden stuck between China hawks, young voters as TikTok pressure mountsThe administration faces national security concerns over the app’s ownership — and a possible backlash over a ban
