V Spehar

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.

Popular Topics:

• 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
  space for kindness and optimism.
  
  

• 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.