Selena Gomez, former Disney star and founder of makeup brand Rare Beauty, is revisiting her Texas roots this month, making a debut at the South by Southwest Conference over spring break on March 10.
Gomez will appear as a featured speaker at the SXSW Conference Culture track, diving into topics like being vulnerable about mental wellbeing. Gomez is the co-founder of Wondermind, a media company with mental health resources and experts to help people navigate their feelings. She founded Wondermind with her mother, Mandy Teefy, who’s the CEO of the company. The site serves as a safe space for those who feel trapped in their mental health battles, which Gomez strongly advocates for.
“It can feel empowering when you find the right space to share your story,” Gomez said in an interview with Wondermind. “If anything, I’m just grateful for anyone who is willing to share their story and be brave, and take a few moments of their day to make someone else’s day,” Gomez said she hopes the company inspires people to feel their full range of emotions.
The conference panel will feature health professionals like Dr. Jessica Stern, a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor at NYU, along with Dr. Corey Yeager, a marriage and family therapist. The talk’s purpose is to shed light on mental healthcare and the stigma around getting vulnerable.
For years, Gomez has openly advocated for seeking help for mental health and wellness. Diagnosed with disorders such as depression and bipolar, Gomez said being in the spotlight during her tours can be highly stressful. In an article with WebMD, Gomez said that therapy changed her life and helped her feel less alone in her struggles.
At only 31 years old, it’s hard to keep track of all that Gomez has accomplished. Born in Grand Prairie, Texas, Gomez first got her start as a character in “Barney,” a popular kid’s television show. In 2007 she moved to Los Angeles and landed her breakout role as Alex Russo in Disney’s hit TV show, “Wizards of Waverly Place.” The show wrapped in 2012, ending an era that began her stardom. Gomez has also appeared in many TV shows and documentaries.
In 2008, Gomez signed with Hollywood Records, launching her music career with her band, Selena Gomez & The Scene. From there, her music took off. She began her solo career in 2013 and claimed popularity across the world. She released countless hits, including “Lose You to Love Me,” from her album Rare, which in 2020, reached the top five songs of charts worldwide. In 2019, she founded Rare Beauty, a vegan & cruelty-free makeup company. The brand’s goal is to get rid of unrealistic beauty standards and to create inclusivity among those using the products. For example, their foundation and concealer collection includes 48 shades for different skin tones and types.
It doesn’t end there; in 2022, Gomez was nominated for the Best Latin Pop Album Grammy award for her Spanish-language EP, “Revelación,” and in 2023 she was nominated for Album of the Year for her feature in Coldplay’s album, “Music of Spheres”. In 2023 and 2024, she was a Golden Globe nominee for Best Actress in the 2021 Hulu show, “Only Murders in the Building.”
Throughout her career, Gomez has battled lupus, a health condition where the immune system attacks itself. Lupus harms the body’s organs and causes other issues like inflammation, joint pain, and tissue damage. Gomez experienced these effects firsthand and had to have a kidney transplant in 2017 at just 24 years old. Having undergone many treatments since then, Gomez openly talks on her social media platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, about the ways this has affected her mental health.
As she continues to navigate various mental stressors like Instagram hate comments about her image or rumors about a supposed “feud” with Hailey Bieber, Gomez remains a vulnerability icon.
The featured session, “Mindfulness Over Perfection: Getting Real On Mental Health,” is scheduled from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on March 10 at the Austin Convention Center in Ballroom D. Tickets to the session can be found on the SXSW website.