Google honors Uvalde victim, 10, for her art
Alithia Haven Ramirez’s submission to Doodle for Google received a special placement on the competition’s website
In the days following the May 24 tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, the nation came to know the 21 lives that the teachers and young students lived before they became victims of one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.
Eliahna “Ellie” Amyah Garcia loved “Encanto”; Amerie Jo Garza was a Girl Scout and a hero who dialed 911 as the shots rang out; and Alithia Haven Ramirez wanted to make people happy with her artwork.
Before she was killed, Alithia submitted a drawing for the Doodle for Google national contest. The application process opened in January and closed in March.
The Google competition challenged young artists to create a design for its Google Doodle, which greets internet users when they visit the search engine with a query. A panel of judges including Selena Gomez, Elyse Fox, and Juliana Urtubey were tapped to pick the winners.
The 10-year-old’s parents told reporters soon after the shooting that the fourth-grader had submitted a drawing for the contest.
Now, as the search narrows down to five finalists who will be announced on July 28, Google is holding a space for Alithia. A banner at the top of the contest page greets website visitors.
“Doodle for Google honors 2022 contestant Alithia Haven Ramirez and all of the victims of the Uvalde, TX tragedy,” the note reads.
A separate page dedicated to Alithia holds her artwork and photo. Alithia’s submitted sketch is a cozy scene of a girl curled up on a sofa with balls of yarn and her pet. Google is spelled out in art on the wall.
The memorial page also includes a quote from the little girl’s entry.
“I want the world to see my art and show the world what I can do, I want people to be happy when they see my passion in art,” she wrote.
Google did not say if Alithia’s artwork will be used at a later date, but extended their condolences to all victims and residents of Uvalde in a statement.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of victims and to the community of Uvalde, Texas. In Alithia Ramirez’s 2022 Doodle for Google submission, she described her desire to show the world her art and everything she can do, and we’re committed to honoring those wishes and her legacy,” Google spokesperson Colette Garcia said. “Her story and art profoundly touched us, and we wanted to honor her family’s request to share her unique talents that were so tragically taken as a result of senseless violence.”