Kenyan-born photographer Polly Irungu ends her tenure at White House
Kenyan-born journalist Polly Irungu becomes the first official photo editor for the office of US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kenyan-born journalist Polly Irungu has announced her exit as the official photo editor at the White House.
She made the announcement on her X account (formally Twitter) that “today (Monday) is my last day at the White House. I'm beyond grateful for the experience of a lifetime to help tell the visual story of the Biden-Harris Admin(stration)”.
Ms Irungu was the first person to hold the position in the Office of Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Her announcement came just a few hours before the inauguration of the newly elected President Donald Trump.
She has been serving in the office since 2022 when Kamala tapped her to document her "campaign's story”.
“Time flies! Today is my last day at the White House serving as the Official Photo Editor for Vice President Kamala Harris and as an Official White House Photographer,” she wrote.
Looking back at her journey, she expressed gratitude to the outgoing president and said that she had never imagined that she would work at the White House.
“When I developed a love for visual storytelling and worked at McDonald’s in school to save up for my first camera, I never thought my passion would take me to The White House. After nearly three years, today was my last day. Thank you, Mr. President, Adam, and Lawrence,” she added.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Ms Irungu moved to the US at the age of four.
She grew up in both Kansas and Oregon, and has also lived in Washington, DC, Arkansas, and finally Brooklyn, New York.
She is the founder of Black Women Photographers, a global community and directory of over 1,000 black female photographers who advocate their recognition and right to jobs.
As a self-taught photographer and writer, she is a woman of many achievements with her work being published in numerous publications— including the New York Times, Reuters, Global Citizen, BBC News, MEFeater, Refinery29, The Washington Post, BuzzFeed and CNN.
She has also worked as a digital editor at New York Public Radio (WNYC). In 2017, she completed a degree in journalism at the University of Oregon.
Before joining the White House, she was a part of Twitter and LinkedIn’s creator programmes and a teacher at the International Centre of Photography.
She is also a 2022 IWMF Gwen Ifill Fellow, a programme designed to address the lack of diversity in leadership positions across newsrooms in the United States.
In addition to her work as a photographer, Ms Irungu is also a sought-after speaker and educator, using her platform to inspire the next generation of storytellers.
She has spoken at conferences and universities across the country, sharing her insights on the importance of representation in the media and the power of visual storytelling.
But perhaps what makes Irungu most impressive is her unwavering commitment to making the world a fairer and more just place.
Through her photography and advocacy, she is helping to create a future where all voices are heard and celebrated.
