Selena Gomez’s heartfelt and inspiring speech at We Day Vancouver on Wednesday even had a part of best friend Taylor Swift’s song lyric.
The Free The Children sponsored Youth Empowerment event saw Selena Gomez deliver a poignant, moving speech about forgiveness and haters to a young and eager audience.
The 22-year-old actress acted well above her age opening up about her struggles growing up in the limelight and the pressure from those around her and related it to social media bullying.
The ‘Naturally’ singer described the intensity of the pressure she was under and spoke of then lessons she had learnt from all the mistakes she had made.
“When people look at me, they don’t see a 22-year-old figuring it out as she goes. They see what they want to see.”
The singer added she knew what it’s like to be judged but has learnt that if she ever let it get to her, she would go crazy.
“I want to say you are not defined by an Instagram photo, by a like, by a comment. That does not define you”, the eager crowd began to cheer. “I want you guys to focus on love”.
“There is so much love in this world, and in this stadium. Do not limit yourself because of what others expect,” she spoke with such modesty. “We all deserve more than we think, and in the end, nobody remembers those haters, the comments. Nobody remembers them. They’re just background noise.”
“I’m surrounded by people who are supposed to guide me, and some of them have, others haven’t,” she said. “They pressure me… so much pressure… You’ve gotta be sexy, you’ve gotta be cute, you’ve gotta be nice, you’ve gotta be all these things… Then I realized I don’t know how to be anything but myself.”
She said to the crowd, “you can all relate, you all have that pressure that you have to deal with everyday – with school, with work, with friends, with parents, with family.”
“All I want you to know is that you are changing the world,” she spoke modestly. “I’m not changing the world, you’re changing the world, and that’s amazing.”
She urged the kids to be kind to each other. “Please be kind to each other. Let’s do it. Let’s change the game!”
As for all the rude comments and hurt that social media has caused, Gomez told her attendees to simply forgive them and focus on love.
Gomez admitted that it’s a lesson she herself is still trying to learn. Gomez added, “Like my friend Taylor [Swift] says, the haters are gonna hate. Just shake it off.”
Selena Gomez was the host for the empowerment event. She was joined by stars like Orlando Bloom, Nick Jonas and Macklemore.
