Selena Gomez Hopes She 'Can Help Others' with Mental Health Initiative Launched with Rare Beauty

The superstar's beauty line is introducing a new education and advocacy campaign for Mental Health Awareness Month

When Selena Gomez launched her cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty, last September, fostering conversations around self-acceptance and mental health was at the forefront of her mission. Now, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Rare Beauty's introducing a new education and advocacy campaign focused on bringing more mental health services and financial support to schools.

Gomez's Rare Impact Fund, which was launched with the goal of raising $100 million over the next 10 years to connect people in underserved communities with mental health services, is announcing its initiative Mental Health 101 — posing the often-asked question, "What if mental health education was taught in school?"

As part of the education program, allies can join Rare Impact by signing a Change.org petition (advocating for more mental health education in schools), donating to the Rare Impact Fund and sharing Rare Beauty's informative, thoughtful toolkit on social media. Rare Beauty will be matching donations to the Rare Impact Fund up to $200,000.

Selena Gomez. Tibrina Hobson/Getty

"Mental health is personal for me. Figuring out how to manage my own mental health hasn't always been easy, but it's something I am constantly working on. I hope I can help others work on it, too," Gomez said on the Change.org petition.

The idea for this campaign was inspired by the lack of resources available to Gomez growing up, which she wishes was more widely available.

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"I wish I learned about mental health the way I learned about other subjects growing up," the star said in a press release. "Every young person deserves to learn about their mental health at a young age so they're equipped to ask questions, have access to resources and empower themselves."

When Gomez launched Rare Beauty, she announced that one percent of all the brand's sales — as well as funds raised from partnerships cultivated with leading foundations, companies and nonprofit organizations — will be donated to the Rare Impact Fund to provide tools, resources and support to those struggling with their mental health.

The brand also elected "expert advisors from leading universities, organizations and companies focused on mental health" to serve on the Rare Beauty Mental Health Council and help make decisions that "ensure maximum impact" in underserved communities.

"There is so much beauty in imperfection and my hope is that all of you can see that," Gomez said at the time of Rare Beauty's launch. "I just want us to stop comparing ourselves to people and to start embracing who we are."