“I could not believe it was real,” Senior Audrey Hafizian thought as she opened her phone to messages saying that her artwork was going viral.

Since she was a child, Hafizian created paintings with her father, inspired by the art museums that she visited from a young age.

On October 16, 2018, Hafizian posted a picture on Instagram of herself holding a painting addressing the issue of gun violence with the statement “Never Again.” Her accompanying photo caption read “(P.S. if you didn’t already, don’t forget to register to vote ladies and gents!)”

The painting was shared by celebrities as well as the March for Our Lives Instagram page.

Hafizian says, “When I saw my painting was republished by people like Mark Ruffalo, Emma Gonzalez, Stephanie Beatriz, I cried.” Her tears of joy increased as her friends began to “blow up [her] phone to check Instagram.”

Comments and likes bombarded the reposted painting, some negative, some positive. However, Hafizian was appreciative nonetheless.

She believes that her painting went viral because of “networking and having talent and a message behind the painting.”

Although Hafizian loves painting, it is a hobby and not her main agenda. Currently “[her] main goal is to be accepted into college for fashion design,” a new focus that Hafizian has discovered.

Part of the application for a fashion college includes a portfolio of work and designs, which Hafizian is nervous about submitting.

In addition to wanting to become a fashion designer, Hafizian aspires to change the current “fast-paced” fashion industry. She says, “I want to create clothing that’s sustainable and change society’s ‘throw away’ mindset in order to preserve the planet.”

Hafizian feels as if the current fashion industry participates in too much environmental degradation. As she becomes successful, she hopes to reduce this.

Along with her strong fashion industry ideals, Hafizian has strong feelings about gun violence and voting in elections. Thus, the reason why she created her painting.

All in all, Hafizian has many goals and is on the path to reaching them in a timely manner.