Selena Gomez: Empowering Others by Sharing Her Own Struggles

Selena Gomez, who is recognized as one of the four celebrities honored as PEOPLE’s People of the Year, has dedicated herself to promoting mental health, racial equality, and body positivity. Despite the setbacks brought by the pandemic, the 28-year-old pop star managed to find a new purpose in life. Her third studio album, Rare, which debuted at the top spot, was put on hold as COVID-19 started to affect the country. However, Gomez didn’t sit idle for long and used her Instagram account, which boasts 195 million followers, to raise awareness about police brutality. She granted activists such as Alicia Garza and Raquel Willis access to her account to share their messages. Gomez shared in an interview that it made sense for her to learn from the best people, and she found this opportunity to be a “no-brainer.” This week, PEOPLE’s cover story celebrates Gomez and three other stars’ achievements as People of the Year.

You can catch the complete People of the Year episode on Selena Gomez by streaming it on PeopleTV.com or downloading the PeopleTV app. Throughout her career, Gomez has been candid about her battles with depression and anxiety. She’s spoken openly about feeling hopeless and struggling to get out of bed at times. Recently, she launched her own makeup brand, Rare Beauty, which aims to be inclusive to all. Gomez has also pledged to raise $100 million over the next decade to help underserved communities gain access to mental health resources.

Recently, Selena Gomez launched a $100 million mental health initiative for underserved communities through her beauty brand Rare Beauty. Reflecting on the past, she acknowledges that this venture wouldn’t have been possible three or four years ago, as she has now come to understand the pressure of conforming to social norms and the toll it takes on individuals. Gomez wants people to know that they are not alone in their journey of self-acceptance and is fully committed to supporting them. She has also been vocal about exercising her right to vote and has highlighted the inspiring journeys of women like Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama, and Stacey Abrams. In recognition of her contributions, Gomez, along with George Clooney, Regina King, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, has been named one of PEOPLE’s People of the Year. Look out for their interviews in the latest issue of the magazine.