31-Year-Old Selena Gomez Uses Her Birthday Post to Advocate Better Mental Health
On Saturday, the Only Murders in the Building actress, Selena Gomez turned to social media to express her gratitude for the birthday messages she received from friends, family and fans. She accompanied a photo of herself blowing out candles on a flower-decorated cake with the following caption, "I am thankful for so much in my life and one of the things I am most thankful for is the work we’ve been able to do with the Rare Impact Fund through @Rarebeauty."
View this post on Instagram
Gomez's birthday was the obvious impetus for her Instagram post, but there was more to it than that. The former Disney Channel star explained her motivation as the CEO of the charitable cosmetics startup Rare Beauty through the post. Gomez closed her message by asking for donations to the Rare Impact Fund, which helps young people get access to mental health treatments and education. Gomez launched Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez concurrently with her nonprofit.
Gomez wrote in the caption, "People keep asking me what I want for my birthday, and I tell everyone the same thing. Please do not get me anything, but if you want to do something for my birthday, please donate to the Rare Impact Fund. If you have the means, consider donating to help us make a difference."
We believe that learning about mental health is just as important as any other subject. That’s why, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month next month, we’re launching the #MentalHealth101 campaign. 👏 pic.twitter.com/t5R7tuHsdR
— Rare Beauty (@rarebeauty) April 29, 2021
Selena Gomez, a famous singer and actress, has talked openly about her own difficulties with mental health in order to raise awareness and encourage other young people to get treatment. Gomez remarked during a White House forum attended by first lady Jill Biden and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, "I hope that by using my platform to share my own story ... I can help others feel less alone," according to AP news.
In 2016, Gomez took time off to cope with the emotional fallout of her fight with lupus, which included anxiety, panic attacks, and melancholy. She eventually came clean about her diagnosis of bipolar illness four years later. The Ruderman Family Foundation, located in Boston, presented the 30-year-old performer with the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion for "drawing inspiration from her personal journey" to increase access to mental health care for people all around the globe.
. @selenagomez is the recipient of the 2022 Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion! Selena represents the new role individuals dealing with #MentalHealth can take- being the active narrators of their own stories. Her contribution is changing perceptions. pic.twitter.com/AuSAM41pD3
— Ruderman Family Foundation (@RudermanFdn) November 14, 2022
Gomez, who was born in Texas, has stated that one of her goals as a public person is to utilize her narrative in a manner that would inspire and uplift her fans. According to the new outlet, she gave a statement, "Mental health impacts all of us, and we each have a role to play in ensuring that everyone — regardless of their background — has access to mental health services. I hope by sharing my own story and using my platform, we can empower each other and more young people to address mental health."
The 'Wizards of Waverly Place' actress established the Rare Impact Fund in 2020, just before releasing her Rare Beauty cosmetics line, with the intention of donating one percent of all sales to the cause of improving youth mental health.
References:
https://apnews.com/article/selena-gomez-mental-health-award-3903980d85f8577b9c4e47958126c00d
https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-health-jill-biden-mental-1ebf72305a84aa70e14a8903ec90cad4
