Gomez introduced the former First Lady at the first-ever Culture of Democracy Summit in Los Angeles
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Selena Gomez is joining Michelle Obama in the fight for democracy.
The singer and actress, 29, took the stage on Monday night at Los Angeles’ Banc of California Stadium to present the former first lady, 58, at the first Culture of Democracy Summit.
The event was hosted by When We All Vote, a nonpartisan initiative created by Obama, and Gomez briefly talked about the organization’s work before welcoming the lawyer and author, whom she referred to as her “friend,” to speak.
Wearing a red and white floral maxi dress with a halter neckline and large hoop earrings, the Rare Beauty makeup brand founder was poised as she delivered earnest remarks about the impact of the political organization founded by Obama.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of her voting squad, and now each one of you can start a voting squad of your own,” said Gomez, who has been a When We All Vote co-chair since 2019.
Closing the night with her keynote speaker address, Obama stepped out in a striking lime green top, layered necklaces and a reflective beige pantsuit.
After giving a warm hello to the crowd and making a joke for stadium fans to not “hate” her for the soccer team’s game being moved for the summit, the founder and co-chair gave an impassioned speech inspiring event attendees to pursue an active role in re-shaping the current political climate with respect to issues like voter suppression.
“If you recognize that protecting and expanding our democracy is the best and only path out of this mess, I think we all can agree that we need to stop playing the same old song,” Obama told the crowd. “We need a remix.”
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Obama emphasized the gravity of the democratic matters at hand, but also inspired laughs with her sassy yet empowering commentary on the younger generation being the agents of change given their savvy knowledge and use of technology and social media.
“Because this isn’t about folks like me, because 50 years from now, y’all, I am not going to be up here,” Obama opened with a quip. “In fact, I will probably be in a wheelchair with a blanket over my lap, just asking somebody to roll me into the sun.”
She concluded her speech by thanking the audience for their “efforts” in making the summit happen for the first time in the political initiative’s history.
“And I want you to feel inspired and energized because no one person can do this on their own,” Obama said, ending her address on an uplifting note. “And knowing that you all are already by my side, all that you’ve already accomplished, there’s no reason for me to believe that we can’t get this done. Stay encouraged and know that I love you all.”
Gomez recently joined President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House earlier this year to share her perspective on mental health as part of the Mental Health Youth Action Forum, hosted by MTV Entertainment.
“Just to throw in a little bit of my journey, I felt like once I found out what was going on mentally, I found that there was more freedom for me to be okay with what I had, because I was learning about it,” the Only Murders in the Building star relayed. “Bringing attention to mental health through media or just by talking about your journeys can help.”
Source: people.com
