Happy Birthday, Selena Gomez!

On July 22, 1992, Selena Marie Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is an actress, singer and producer. She landed her first acting role on the children's television show, Barney & Friends when she was a little girl. After appearing on Barney & Friends, she starred in the lead role for the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place that ran from 2007 to 2012. She formed her own band called Selena Gomez & The Scene and the group went on to release three studio albums like Kiss & Tell (2009).

A Year Without Rain (2010),

and When The Sun Goes Down (2011).

After the band separated in 2013, Selena decided to still pursue her singing career, but as a solo artist instead. She released her debut studio album Stars Dance on July 23, 2013.

Then two years later, she dropped her second studio album Revival on October 9, 2015.

Both Revival and Stars Dance went to number one on the Billboard 200 chart giving Selena two number one albums as a solo singer. She is currently working her third studio album.

Selena has also been example to young girls like me who look up to her. She became a UNICEF ambassador at the age of seventeen, worked with various charities over the years, released her own clothing line called Dream Out Loud in 2010 with Kmart using only recycled or eco-friendly material, and her own self-titled perfume in 2013. 

But, here is what you don't know about Selena Gomez. On August 2016, Gomez admitted to her fans that she have lupus disease and has to cancel the remainder of her Revival tour because she had anxiety, panic attacks and suffered from depression that was caused by her lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in different tissues of the body. After the tour ended, Selena checked herself into rehab to focus on her mental health. She was also noticeably absent on social media. She made her very first public appearance at the 2016 American Music Awards where she won the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Artist. She was diagnosed with lupus sometime between 2012 and early 2014. On September 14, 2017, Selena had received a kidney transplant from actress and best friend Francia Raisa.

I love Selena Gomez. I have known her since her days as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney Channel. Selena is the sweetest, kind-hearted woman that I have ever seen. She is all about giving back to the world, outspoken when it comes to mental health, and cares a lot about people especially children. Happy 26th Birthday, Selena! Thank you for being an inspiration to all of the young girls out there. You showed them that you can be anything that you want to be if you only believe. Keep doing what you're doing for your fans, the environment and for the little kids who need a role model just like you in their lives.