Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez

Selena is an American singer and actress. She was born in 1992 and grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas. Her mother is part Italian ancestry, and her father is of Mexican descent. Selena’s parents divorced when she was five years old.  She was raised primarily by her mother. She remembers being very angry due to her parents’ divorce. Her acting career started on the kids show Barney and Friends when she was seven years old. Her music was introduced in 2009 with her debut album “Kiss and Tell”. Selena has had several hit singles including: Love You Like a Love Song, Hands to Myself, and The Heart Wants what it Wants. She starred as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place. Regarding her Hispanic heritage, Gomez stated, “My family does have Quinceaneras, and we go to the communion church.” Selena can speak Spanish, but not fluently. In 2015 she confirmed she had been diagnosed with Lupus. Selena recently revealed she has had a kidney transplant this past summer due to her battle with Lupus. Her best friend gifted her kidney. She is now doing much better and in the process of releasing an album.

Makensie Shay McDaniel

Project RACE Teen Co-President

Photo Credit: Glamour.com