A Brooklyn student’s art may be going global thanks to Google.
Kecia Imani Nelson, a student at Empower Upper School in Flatbush, was selected as the state winner for the 14th annual Doodle for Google art contest, the company announced Thursday.
The yearly contest invites K-12 students from all over the nation to submit artwork that fits a shared prompt and includes the Google logo — all for the chance to have their work featured on the Google website, win college scholarships and receive tech packages for their school.
This year’s prompt was “I care for myself by…” The students could use their creative skills to design an artistic piece. Nelson’s piece, titled “Black Girl Magic,” focuses on self-care, and makes her a candidate to be one of five national finalists.
“This is my self-care: making sure my hair is as beautiful as it naturally can be!” Nelson said in her submission. “When I think of caring for myself, it is always a relaxing experience to get my hair done. Spending time caring for my hair really gives me joy. Not only does it teach me patience and perseverance, but it teaches [me] to invest in myself when I want to feel good. I can control my joy through self-care.”
This year’s judges include Selena Gomez, Elyse Fox and 2021 National Teacher of the Year Juliana Urtubey, but anyone can vote from the official Doodle for Google webpage.
The search engine-turned-tech giant also announced that national finalists will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. The national winner will receive a $30,000 college scholarship, and a technology package for their school worth $50,000. Their artwork will also be featured on Google for 24 hours.
Each of the 54 state and territory winners received gifts and Google celebrated them all by showcasing their work in their hometowns.
