Before she was killed in the tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in May, 10-year-old Alithia Haven Ramirez had submitted her artwork to Doodle for Google, a contest that encourages young artists to create designs for Google’s homepage.
“I want the world to see my art and show the world what I can do,” Ramirez wrote with her submission. “I want people to be happy when they see my passion in art.”
Now, Google is honoring Ramirez, who dreamed of one day going to art school in Paris, by publishing a memorial page on its website and sharing her artwork across the globe.
“In memoriam, 2022 Doodle for Google contestant, Alithia Haven Ramirez, 10, and all the victims of the Uvalde, Texas tragedy,” the page reads alongside a photo of the young girl.
Ramirez’s colorful drawing features a young girl curled up on a couch with her pet puppy beside her. There are balls of yarn next to the girl, and the puppy has a stuffed toy under its paws. A series of photos hang on the wall behind the couch, including an image of the Earth, a rainbow, a smiling sun, and a picture that reads, “Life is good.” Ramirez signed the drawing with her initials, “AR,” in purple marker.
In a statement, a Google spokesperson said that “[Alithia’s] 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.”
They continued: “[Alithia] 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.”