Polly Irungu ’17

Polly Irungu, a 2017 University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication graduate, became the first photo editor for Vice President Kamala Harris and founded Black Women Photographers. She received the SOJC’s Eric Allen Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2024.

Biography

Polly Irungu is a Kenyan-born multimedia journalist who made history in 2022 when she became the first-ever photo editor for the office of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Polly's role involves curating and managing the visual documentation of Harris's public and private engagements, ensuring that the imagery aligns with the vice president’s public image and the administration's communications strategy. Prior to her role with Harris, Irungu worked as a photo editor and media consultant.

In addition to her professional work, Polly is known for her advocacy in the fields of media diversity and representation. She is the founder of Black Women Photographers, a global community and directory of 1,000+ Black women and nonbinary photographers. The initiative provides a platform for networking, professional development, and collaboration, helping to address the lack of representation and opportunities for Black women in photography.

“Polly is an incredibly kind, strong, and generous leader,” said Whitley Isa, a portrait and fashion photographer based in Brussels. “As a member of Black Women Photographers, I'm grateful for the opportunities, events, resources, and more that she has made available for us. It's amazing and inspiring how she built this wonderful community of talented people and uses her many skills and knowledge (photography, social networking, event planning, and management, to name a few) to help us further our professional and personal growth.”

Polly is also involved in efforts to promote media literacy and educate the public about the importance of diverse representation in media. This includes participating in panels, workshops, and discussions aimed at raising awareness and fostering a more inclusive media environment.

While at the UO School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), Polly interned with SOJC Communications, TrackTown USA, and NPR, which she credits with helping her succeed after college.

“Each internship experience played a pivotal role in shaping my career,” Polly said. “Every year at the SOJC helped shape not only my career path, but my personal development.”

As a photographer, writer, and nonprofit founder, Polly’s work has been published in numerous publications, including Adobe’s Create Magazine, the New York Times, Reuters, Global Citizen, NPR, BBC News, the Washington Post, BuzzFeed, CNN, and many others.