AT A GLANCE
- Kameirah Johnson, a senior at Lakeside High School in North Seattle, is one of five national Doodle for Google finalists.
- Her artwork, “Hair Power: The Crown That Grows From Us,” celebrates Black hair as a symbol of culture, family history and strength.
- The winning student’s artwork will be featured on Google’s homepage, with scholarship money and a technology package awarded through the contest.
- Voting for the finalist round closes April 29.
One Vote For Kameirah Johnson’s Google Doodle “Hair Power” Could Help This High School Student Win A $55K Scholarship
A Washington state high school student is using art to honor the beauty, history and power of Black hair, and her work could soon appear on Google’s homepage.
Kameirah Johnson, a senior at Lakeside High School in North Seattle, is one of five finalists in the 2025 to 2026 Doodle for Google competition. The nationwide contest invites K through 12 students to create original artwork for a chance to have their Doodle featured by Google, along with scholarship support and a technology package for their school.
Johnson’s piece, titled “Hair Power: The Crown That Grows From Us,” features three Black girls whose curls, coils and braids help spell out “Google.” The artwork was selected from thousands of student submissions tied to this year’s theme, “My superpower is…”
Black Hair As A Superpower
For Johnson, the answer to the theme was personal.
“My superpower is my hair and the family history it carries. Each texture and style holds culture, care, and survival passed down without words,” Johnson said. “Lying in the grass, our crowns rest without weakening. This kinky hair refuses conformity; it makes us different. Shaped by our lineage, our hair is undeniably beautiful.”
Johnson told Oregon Public Broadcasting that the three women in the artwork represent her mother, her sister and herself. The digital painting shows the figures lying in a field surrounded by golden bursts, with their hair forming the letters of Google.
A Young Artist With Big Plans
Johnson’s love for art began with sketching in 2016 before she expanded into painting during the pandemic. She taught herself by watching YouTube videos and developed a creative routine rooted in faith and focus.
Her mother, Simone Johnson, told OPB that the family has been amazed by Kameirah’s talent.
“Kameirah’s gift is making room for her in the art spaces, and her work will be viewed and seen by the masses. And so it’s amazing. We’re just overjoyed and thrilled and in awe,” Simone Johnson said.
Johnson has already been accepted to New York University, where she plans to study art and economics. She said her goals include owning an art gallery, mentoring young artists of color and becoming an artist in residence at museums.
“There’s so much that I want to do with my art to impact people,” Johnson said. “There’s so much philanthropy that I want to do, along with just leaving my mark on the world and leaving my statement.”
Voting Closes April 29
Public voting for the Doodle for Google finalists closes April 29. The winning student will have their artwork featured by Google and receive scholarship support, while their school will receive funding for technology.
