Episode 16: Polly Irungu, Creative Changemaker & Pro Photo-J Alum ’17

What does it take to go from being a student photographer to documenting history at the White House?  In this episode of One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), fourth-year public relations student Symone Moore sits down with SOJC alum Polly Irungu ’17—photojournalist, founder of Black Women Photographers, a photographer for Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, and former photo editor for Vice President Kamala Harris. Polly shares how a social media internship with NPR jumpstarted her career, why you don’t need to live in a big city to make it big, and how she’s built a global network that empowers creators of color. Stay tuned to the end for her One Cool Story—a memorable brush with a huge celebrity at the Grammys. Listen to hear: How Polly turned a passion for storytelling into a national platform. What it’s like working in the White House. Her advice for aspiring photographers and communicators. Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/ Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://sojc.link/SOJC-apply Learn more about Polly: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/eric-allen-award/polly-irungu