Selena Gomez Discusses Voting, Lupus and Mental Health with Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris
Selena Gomez/Instagram Selena Gomez and Kamala Harris
Look at her vote!
Selena Gomez welcomed vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris for a discussion about this year's election on her Instagram on Thursday. (And Harris even committed to working with Gomez to advocate for better access to mental health services.)
"There is too much on the line this election for anyone to sit on the sidelines," Gomez, 28, wrote in the video's caption. "We all must use our voices and vote."
In the video, Gomez admits that she "wasn't very educated" about the voting process but that she feels that today, her vote "counts more than ever."
"As a citizen, as someone who truly, truly cares about their country, not voting is just not an option," she said.
"There's a lot at stake," added the senator, 56, before talking about how she and former vice president Joe Biden plan to fight for people like Gomez — and Harris' own sister — who live with lupus.
"And that's one of the things that Joe and I are fighting for, which is to hold on to the Affordable Care Act and expand it, including what you've talked a lot about," Harris said, before adding, "Mental health care, the way I think about it is that we have to understand health care. You can't just think that the body starts from the neck down. We also need health care for the neck up."
Gomez has been open about her "mental health journey," revealing earlier this year that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
"I just read too much about how deep this country is being affected mentally," she said. "I've had so many dreams about creating places that people could go to. I think there's a part of me that wishes we had some sort of place that felt like maybe you just need to get help."
Selena Gomez/Instagram Kamala Harris and Selena Gomez
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"It should be something people can understand and break down because I truly know that this is something that's important," she added. "And important to me."
Harris agreed, saying that the country has "a lot of work to do."
"It's something I care deeply about, and I look forward to working with you on it," she added.
Gomez then added that seeing young people come together has been "really encouraging."
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"We are the ones that are going to trail blaze. And we are going to be the next wave of people that truly are going to decide our future," the "Back to You" singer said. "And I plan on doing everything that I can to help and to just also encourage people to vote. I don't know if they're sick of me by now."
Last week, Gomez shared a selfie with an "I Voted" sticker after filling out her ballot. She has used her Instagram platform to spread the voices of important Black leaders in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Most recently, she's given her platform to encourage voting.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
