Polly Irungu Appointed as the First Photo Editor for the Office of the US Vice President
Taking to her Twitter account, the Kenyan-born United States-based multimedia journalist, Polly Irungu shared the exciting news of the new role that she was appointed.
Leah Mukangai 
Polly received a flood of congratulations from her fans after she announced her appointment as the first official photo editor in the office of Vice President, Kamala Harris.
New chapter ✨ I’m excited to announce that I’m the first official Photo Editor for the Office of the Vice President to the Biden-Harris Administration. Honored and grateful is an understatement. ????????✨ pic.twitter.com/wmxp6BMdvv
— Polly Irungu (@pollyirungu) July 28, 2022
Here are some screen grabs of reactions shared.
Polly Irungu is the founder of Black Women Photographers. She launched the program in 2020 with the aim of highlighting the photography of Black women and non-binary Black people and connecting them to as many opportunities as possible.
Today marks two years since I launched @BlkWomenPhoto. ???? I’m in awe of the community, the impact BWP has had on the entire industry, and so excited about everything that’s to come.
— Polly Irungu (@pollyirungu) July 7, 2022
Just getting started ✨
She also came up with the program to foster a community for a group she felt was often overlooked. Starting as a COVID-19 fundraiser that raised $14,000 for Black women whose work had slowed due to the pandemic, Irungu, who was working as an editor at New York Public Radio (WNYC) at the time, decided to create an actual platform because she was tired of creatives being passed over for paid opportunities.
BWP later evolved into a solo project. Since its inception, BWP has worked with VSCO, Getty Images, Nasdaq, and more.
Under Irungu's leadership, BWP grew into a valuable resource for creatives seeking mentorship and paid work. BWP also maintains a database of over 1,000 Black women and non-binary photographers from over 30 states and 50 countries worldwide.
