Childhood and Education Journey of Selena Gomez in Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Selena Gomez. From birth to education, explore key events.
Selena Gomez is an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. She started her career as a child actress in Barney & Friends (2002-2004) and gained prominence as a teen idol for her role as Alex Russo in the Disney Channel sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012). In 2008, she signed with Hollywood Records and formed the band Selena Gomez & the Scene, releasing three albums: Kiss & Tell (2009), A Year Without Rain (2010), and When the Sun Goes Down (2011).
July 22, 1992: Selena Gomez Born
On July 22, 1992, Selena Marie Gomez was born. She is an American actress, singer, and businesswoman.
October 2008: Participation in St. Jude's Children's Hospital's "Runway For Life" and named UNICEF's spokesperson
In October 2008, Selena Gomez participated in St. Jude's Children's Hospital's "Runway For Life," raising over $1 million. That same month, October 2008, she became UNICEF's spokesperson for the Trick-or-Treat campaign, encouraging children to raise money on Halloween.
2008: Raised money for UNICEF's Trick-or-Treat campaign
In 2008 Selena Gomez raised over $700,000 for UNICEF's Trick-or-Treat campaign.
2008: Involvement in the UR Votes Count campaign
In 2008, Selena Gomez participated in the UR Votes Count campaign, encouraging teenagers to learn about the 2008 presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain.
August 2009: Named youngest UNICEF ambassador
In August 2009, Selena Gomez, at 17, became the youngest UNICEF ambassador at the time. This ambassadorship marked a significant step in her humanitarian work.
2009: Involvement in "Disney's Friends for Change"
From 2009 to 2012, Selena Gomez was involved in "Disney's Friends for Change", promoting environmentally-friendly behavior.
2009: Ambassador of DoSomething and involvement with RAISE Hope For Congo
In 2009, Selena Gomez became the ambassador of DoSomething after working with Island Dog. She also got involved with RAISE Hope For Congo, raising funds to combat sexual violence in the war-torn African country.
2009: Spokesperson for UNICEF's Trick-or-Treat campaign and participation in charity events
In 2009, Selena Gomez was named spokesperson for UNICEF's Trick-or-Treat campaign for the second consecutive year. She aimed to raise US$1 million for the charity, building on the $700,000 raised in 2008. Gomez participated in a celebrity auction and hosted a live web cast series on Facebook to support the campaign in 2009.
2009: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Since 2009, Selena Gomez has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
2009: UNICEF ambassador since 2009
Since 2009, Selena Gomez has been an active UNICEF ambassador.
May 2010: High School Diploma
In May 2010, Selena Gomez earned her high-school diploma through homeschooling.
December 2010: Relationship with Justin Bieber
From December 2010 to March 2018, Selena Gomez was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Canadian singer Justin Bieber.
2010: Charity concerts for UNICEF
In 2010, Selena Gomez conducted a charity concert to help UNICEF provide children around the world with life-saving therapeutic foods, medicines, clean water, education, and immunization.
2010: Continued support for UNICEF's Trick-or-Treat campaign
In 2010, Selena Gomez continued her support as the UNICEF spokesperson for the 60th anniversary of the Trick-or-Treat campaign. She held a benefit concert with the Scene, donating all proceeds to the campaign, and encouraged donations via social media, helping UNICEF raise $4 million.
February 2011: Travel to Chile with UNICEF
In February 2011, Selena Gomez traveled to Chile to meet with families supported by UNICEF's "Programa Puente," which focused on early childhood education and development. She observed their struggles and hope, finding it inspiring.
April 2012: Named ambassador to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation
In April 2012, Selena Gomez was named ambassador to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. The year before, she made an appearance at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia during a Ryan Seacrest Foundation broadcast.
2013: Charity concerts for UNICEF
In 2013, Selena Gomez conducted a charity concert to help UNICEF provide children around the world with life-saving therapeutic foods, medicines, clean water, education, and immunization.
2013: Birth of Half-Sister Gracie Elliot Teefey
In 2013, Selena Gomez's mother and her second husband, Brian Teefey, had a daughter, Gracie Elliot Teefey, making her Selena's half-sister.
2014: Listened to 'Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)'
In 2014, Selena Gomez stated that she listened to "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United before performing at the 2014 American Music Awards.
2015: Lupus Diagnosis and Chemotherapy
In 2015, Selena Gomez confirmed her diagnosis with lupus and revealed that she underwent chemotherapy after canceling her tour.
June 2016: Support for LGBTQ community
In June 2016, Selena Gomez joined other celebrities in writing a "love letter" for Pride Month as part of Billboard's 30 Days of Pride. She also collaborated with 23 other artists on the charity single "Hands" to benefit victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, and donated proceeds from her Revival Tour concert in North Carolina to fight the state's "bathroom law".
2016: Appeared at Hillsong Young & Free concert
In 2016, Selena Gomez appeared at a Hillsong Young & Free concert in Los Angeles, leading worship by singing her song "Nobody", which she clarified was about God.
June 2017: Discomfort with the term "religion"
In June 2017, Selena Gomez expressed discomfort with the term "religion", emphasizing her belief in faith and a personal relationship with God.
2017: Partnership with Coach and activities with Step Up
In 2017, Selena Gomez partnered with Coach and participated in activities with Step Up, supporting girls in under-resourced communities. She attended Step Up events at Los Angeles high schools and gifted the girls Coach bags.
2017: Repeal of North Carolina's "bathroom law"
In 2017, the "bathroom law" in North Carolina, which Selena Gomez had previously donated proceeds from her Revival Tour to fight against, was repealed.
October 2018: Sale of Fort Worth Mansion
In October 2018, Selena Gomez sold her mansion in Fort Worth, Texas, for $3.5 million.
2018: Attendance at We Day California
In 2018, Selena Gomez attended the We Day California youth empowerment event in Los Angeles, introducing Nellie Mainor, a young fan with a rare kidney disease.
October 1, 2019: Op-Ed for Time
On October 1, 2019, Selena Gomez wrote an op-ed for Time, discussing her involvement in the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented and her connection to the struggles of undocumented families.
October 2019: Release of Living Undocumented and involvement with MeToo
In October 2019, Selena Gomez served as an executive producer for the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented. Due to a resurgence of the 1992 sexual abuse allegation against Woody Allen prompted by the MeToo movement, Gomez made a donation of over $1 million, exceeding her salary from the film, to the Time's Up initiative.
2019: McLean Award for Mental Health Advocacy
In 2019, Selena Gomez received the McLean Award for her advocacy in mental health awareness.
April 2020: Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
In April 2020, Selena Gomez revealed that she has bipolar disorder.
2020: Created the Rare Impact Fund
In 2020, Selena Gomez created the Rare Impact Fund by Rare Beauty to help young people access mental health resources, committing to raise US$100 million over its first ten years.
2020: Launch of Rare Beauty
In 2020, Selena Gomez founded the cosmetic company Rare Beauty and the non-profit Rare Impact Fund.
May 2021: Participation in VAX Live Concert
In May 2021, Selena Gomez participated in the VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World concert, organized by Global Citizen, to promote the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.
June 2021: Signed UNICEF open letter
In June 2021, Selena Gomez signed a UNICEF open letter urging the G7 to donate more coronavirus vaccines to the international COVAX initiative.
2021: Maintained Christian Faith
In 2021, Selena Gomez remarked that she maintained her Christian faith and had read 'The Purpose Driven Life' by Baptist pastor Rick Warren three times.
2021: Donation from Selena + Chef show and cookware line proceeds to the Rare Impact Fund
In 2021, for each episode of her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef (2020–2023), the show donated $10,000 to the charity of the chef's choice. Selena Gomez also donated 10 percent of the net proceeds from her cookware line with Our Place to the Rare Impact Fund.
May 2022: Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House
In May 2022, MTV partnered with Selena Gomez and the Rare Impact Fund by Rare Beauty to host the Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House, in coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration.
May 2022: Serendipity Brands donated to the Rare Impact Fund
In May 2022, Serendipity Brands—which Selena Gomez co-owns and is an investor of—donated $1 from every ice cream pint and product sold to the Rare Impact Fund.
June 2022: Statement on Roe v. Wade Overturn
In June 2022, Selena Gomez expressed her unhappiness with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, urging men to speak out against the issue and acknowledging the pain experienced by many women.
October 2022: COVID-19 Positive Test
In October 2022, Selena Gomez canceled an appearance on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' after testing positive for COVID-19.
November 2022: Psychosis Episode Revealed
In November 2022, Selena Gomez revealed that she had an episode of psychosis in 2018.
December 2022: Donation to the 2nd Annual ASCAP Foundation
In December 2022, Selena Gomez donated exclusive items to the 2nd Annual ASCAP Foundation, which supports music education and talent development programs across the US.
2022: Awards for Mental Health Advocacy
In 2022, Selena Gomez was honored with the Mental Health Innovations Award for Excellence in Mental Health Advocacy by the Stanford Healthcare Innovation Lab. She also received the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion by the Ruderman Family Foundation in 2022.
October 2023: Statement and Donations Regarding the Gaza war
In October 2023, Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty issued a statement about the Gaza war and donated funds to Magen David Adom in Israel, Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Gaza and the West Bank, and UNICEF. Gomez also signed an Artist4Ceasefire letter calling for a ceasefire.
December 2023: Attended Ramy Youssef's fundraiser for Gaza
In December 2023, Selena Gomez attended Ramy Youssef's fundraiser for Gaza.
2023: Donations from Rare Beauty sales to the Rare Impact Fund
From 2023 to 2024, Selena Gomez and Sephora donated all 100 percent of global Rare Beauty sales to the Rare Impact Fund in honor of World Mental Health Day.
2023: Participation in Los Angeles Pride Parade and Donations
In 2023, Selena Gomez and her cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty, participated in the 53rd annual Los Angeles Pride Parade. Additionally, her Rare Impact Fund continued to donate funds to The Trevor Project and, in 2023, to Trans Lifeline, both organizations focused on supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
January 2024: Preference for acting over music and discussion about future album plans
In January 2024, Selena Gomez expressed a preference for acting over music, stating she only has "one more album in me". She clarified that she never intended to be a full-time singer, and music evolved from a hobby. She retracted earlier statements about feeling too old for the pop-star life, reaffirming her commitment to music.
April 2024: Speaker at the Time 100 Summit
In April 2024, Selena Gomez was a speaker at the Time 100 Summit. She discussed mental health protection and social media.
May 1, 2024: Rare Beauty Summit for Mental Health Awareness
On May 1, 2024, Selena Gomez hosted the Rare Beauty Summit dedicated to mental health awareness, offering resources to address mental health problems. The U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy joined her at the event, acknowledging the Rare Impact Fund and her efforts to promote self-acceptance and healing.
September 2024: The Rare Impact Fund has raised over $16 million
As of September 2024, Selena Gomez's Rare Impact Fund has raised over $16 million since its establishment in 2020. These funds have been distributed as grants to support 26 mental health-focused organizations across five continents.
September 2024: Inability to Have Children Naturally
In September 2024, Selena Gomez revealed her inability to have children naturally due to her health issues, expressing a desire to explore surrogacy or adoption in the future.
September 2024: Selena Gomez Becomes a Billionaire
In September 2024, it was reported that Selena Gomez had become a billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion, largely attributed to Rare Beauty.
November 2024: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Diagnosis
In November 2024, Selena Gomez disclosed a prior diagnosis of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
December 11, 2024: Engagement Announcement
On December 11, 2024, Selena Gomez formally announced her engagement to record producer Benny Blanco, following a period of media rumors.
January 2025: Volunteer work and donations for the 2025 Southern California wildfires
In January 2025, Selena Gomez volunteered to distribute necessities to those displaced by the 2025 Southern California wildfires. Additionally, her brand Rare Beauty donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and World Central Kitchen. All proceeds from sales during the fifth anniversary pop-up of her album, Rare, were also donated to the cause.
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