Women To Watch 10.12.25 - Flipbook - Page 36
Polly Irungu started an
organization called Black Women
Photographers and works as
junior photographer in the office
of Gov. Wes Moore.
KENNETH K. LAM/STAFF
Allyn Rose won Miss Maryland USA in 2011 and Miss District of Columbia in 2012 before
announcing that she would undergo a preventive double mastectomy. She educates
women about the surgery through her nonprofit, The Previvor. COSTOLA PHOTOGRAPHY
these years and how I made this decision to have
a surgery so that I could be a mom someday,” she
said. “When you’re speaking about something like
breast cancer, life or death, people want to hear a
real story.”
Rose carried a gene mutation that increased
her likelihood of developing breast cancer, but
she didn’t know anyone else at the time who had
removed their breasts without a cancer diagnosis.
Despite undergoing the surgery, Rose was able to
continue her modeling career, becoming the first
Sports Illustrated swimsuit model to have undergone a mastectomy.
Rose now runs a nonprofit organization, The
Previvor, which seeks to help women with their
questions about preventive surgeries, including
how to assess their risk of breast cancer, what
options are available for mastectomy and breast
reconstruction procedures, and choosing a
surgeon.
Rose acknowledges that there can be surgical complications for some women, but she said
36 | 2025 | WOMEN TO WATCH
almost everyone she’s talked to has expressed relief
and gratitude about completing the procedure.
On Instagram, Rose posts pageant throwbacks
and hair styling tips, in addition to advocating for
preventive care.
While there are influencing spaces where men
often succeed — like financial conversations, for
example — women tend to dominate the social
space, she said.
“I think it’s also sort of a beautiful view of, you
know, feminism and girl power, that in places
where women felt like they couldn’t earn incomes,
they couldn’t have careers ... now, through really
the tap of their fingers, they can change their own
lives. They can provide for their family,” she said.
Polly Irungu
Authenticity was key to online growth for Polly
Irungu, who works as a photographer for Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and founded Black Women
Photographers. The organization began providing
COVID-19 relief in 2020 and has since awarded
over $230,000 in grants, with more than 2,100
members and collaboration with major brands.
The organization’s Instagram page has around
72,000 followers.
“[It] wasn’t about going viral or chasing followers. It was always about community first,” Irungu
said in an email. “That authenticity resonated with
