“The impact this organization has made in its first year cannot be understated, nor can the power of its founder, Polly Irungu. In a single year Polly has proven, time and time again, that talented Black photographers are out there ready to work. They are not hard to find and they are eager to share their work with major publications and the public. 

She has proven that the power of community—portfolio reviews with Nikon ambassadors, virtual events and workshops, social media encouragement, an open submission system on the database itself—can have a profound impact not just on individual photographers’ careers but that community in and of itself can push an entire industry forward. 

For me personally, Polly is an incredible example of what passion and dedication can do. She quite literally changed the photo industry in just one year. Conversations around access and equity in the industry were pushed into the public sphere and need to continue. 

I for one cannot wait to see what the incredible Black women photographers of the world and Polly do next. I’ll be cheering them on at every step.”

— Caitlyn Edwards, PhotoShelter

“I worked with Polly on a partnership between my company and Black Women Photographers. We worked on a year-long showcase of the organization and the wonderful photographers that are a part of it. Polly was incredibly helpful in connecting me quickly with the photographers for the showcase, it was a joy to work with her! I was in awe of how hard she works to successfully manage multiple projects at once, including our collaboration.”

— Kathryn Snuffer Zukas, Camera Bits

"It’s been remarkable to watch the Black Women Photographers collective over the last year. From a Twitter connection with Polly Irungu before the community’s official launch to seeing their successes over the last 12 months, it’s been a true pleasure to support Polly and this important community. Since July of 2020, we’ve held six separate sessions of portfolio reviews between Black Women Photographer members and Nikon Ambassadors. These opportunities have truly been some of the brightest highlights of the last year. Every session has felt like food for the soul. Celebrating the first anniversary of this collective, I’m moved by what they’ve achieved. From commercial commissions to editorial features and brand partnerships, the last year of BWP has been amazing to watch and I know this is only the beginning. The most exciting ventures are ahead and we’re all so excited to see Black Women Photographers build on their foundations for success. Black Women Photographers have left us all inspired by seeing firsthand when talent, passion, and community are celebrated. We’re all cheering for you and it’s been a humble joy to witness all your successes.”

— Todd Owyoung, Nikon Ambassador

“Building community is a decision. One that happens consistently not day by day but minute by minute. It’s incredible to see how Black Women Photographers has grown with that level of intentionality.  Dummies will say it grew so fast in a short period of time but we in the community know it’s because it’s been needed. Polly stepped up to the plate and decided to make space for others and it’s caught like wildfire. I can’t wait to see what happens in year 2.”

— Aundre Larrow, Adobe Lightroom Ambassador