Selena Gomez got very personal during her White House speech and shared her mental health journey.
The singer and actress spoke about “destigmatizing” mental health during an appearance at the Mental Health Youth Action Forum hosted by MTV Entertainment at the White House on Wednesday.
“Just to throw in a little bit of my journey, I felt like once I found out what was going on mentally, I found that there was more freedom for me to be okay with what I had, because I was learning about it,” she shared. “Bringing attention to mental health through media or just by talking about your journeys can help.”
“It sets the example that it’s a topic that can and should be discussed freely and without shame,” she continued.
Selena was joined by First Lady Jill Biden, Ambassador Susan Rice, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy along with 30 youth mental health activists at the event. Her mother, Mandy Teefey, was also in attendance.
“Mental health is very personal for me, and I hope that by using my platform to share my own story and working with incredible people like all of you,” she said. “I can help others feel less alone and find the help they need, which is honestly all I want.”
Gomez added that she hopes to help provide mental health services to anyone who needs them.
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‘When it comes to talking about and destigmatizing mental health, I want to ensure that everyone, no matter their age, their race, religion, sexual orientation, have access to services that support their mental health,” she explained.
Gomez also detailed how her makeup company Rare Beauty advocates for mental health awareness.
“My brand Rare Beauty and the Rare Impact Fund supports organizations that expand access to mental health services and education for young people,” she said. “And we partner with mental health experts and non-profits throughout the year to share free educational resources.”
The Rare Impact Fund was launched in July 2020, and one percent of all Rare Beauty sales are donated to the initiative in addition to funds raised by the makeup brand with philanthropic foundations, individuals, corporate partners, and consumers.