Georgia Teen Wins Doodle for Google Contest With a Tribute to Her Mom

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Google regularly updates its homepage with festive designs, homages to figures from history, and interactive games, but today's Google Doodle is something different. All day, the website's logo will showcase an artwork by Arantza Peña Popo—the teenage winner of this year's Doodle for Google contest, according to CNET.

Earlier in 2019, Google put out a call for art that fit the theme "When I grow up, I hope…" After several rounds of votes from guest judges, Google executives, and members of the public, the winner was announced on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, August 12.

Arantza Peña Popo is a high school senior from Lithonia, Georgia. She was struggling to come up with something to submit when she received some last-minute inspiration the day of the contest deadline. According to her artist's statement submitted with the drawing, Popo focused on a real-life photograph of her mother holding her when she was baby, and tweaked the roles to transform it into a new piece of art. Her illustration, titled "Once you get it, give it back," shows a future version of the artist caring for her aging mother in front of a portrait of their younger selves.

“When I grow up, I hope to care for my mom as much as she cared for me my entire life,” she wrote.

In addition to having her art displayed on the Google homepage for a full day, Popo's prizes include a trip to Google headquarters in Mountain View, California; a $30,000 college scholarship; and a $50,000 "tech package" for her school or the nonprofit of her choice. Popo plans to attend the University of Southern California later in 2019, and her future plans include publishing alternative graphic novels and comics.

[h/t CNET]