Selena Gomez brought her third annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit to life on Wednesday evening, with mental health serving as the evening's guiding light. The L.A. event supported Gomez's Rare Impact Fund, which she established in 2020 with the ambitious goal of mobilizing $100 million for organizations that enhance global access to youth mental health services and education.
As Jimmy Kimmel co-hosted the event alongside performances from Laufey and The Marías, Gomez kicked off the proceedings by acknowledging that despite years of publicly discussing mental health, including her own struggles, "believe it or not, this is still a weird and hard topic. Tonight, we prove that progress is possible."
Addressing the crowd at Nya Studios West, Gomez shared how "nothing has made me prouder than what I've been able to achieve with this fund" and underscored its importance in a world where pressure on young people has never been greater. From social media bullying to suicide, she emphasized that mental health is not a side issue but the foundation of everything—creativity, connection, learning, safety, and hope. She urged young people to reach out for help and know that it exists.
Gomez's familiarity with the social media landscape was evident, as one of the world's most followed people on Instagram, whose every post generates headlines. When it comes to social and mental health, she told The Hollywood Reporter, "I think it's so important to take breaks. I think it's crucial for people to even try it for a day, even if it's just an hour." She added, "There's a whole world in front of you—I know it feels like it's everywhere and so big and great on the phone, but there's so much more that we can be."
Back inside the gala, Gomez brought Kimmel to the stage by referencing the recent suspension (and quick return) of his late night show. She said, "He's important to all of us right now in this room and in what we often feel like isolating and uncertain times. This person has shown us the importance of conviction as well as compassion. He reminds us all of the freedoms we often take for granted and the joy we work so hard to protect."
Kimmel joked that "I'm excited to be here; honestly, after the month I've had, I'm excited to be anywhere" to big cheers from the crowd. He continued, "I was this close to starting an OnlyFans. We have a very special event for you tonight filled with moving stories from amazing organizations that our president wants to defund."
He celebrated the Rare Impact Fund for raising over $20 million for 30 nonprofit organizations since its inception, reaching more than 2 million young people in the process. "This room is filled with some of the top nonprofit leaders, entertainers, executives, and philanthropists that I would be honored to one day share a cell with in El Salvador," Kimmel teased, adding that when it came to the night's fundraising, "if you forgot to get Selena and Benny [Blanco] a wedding gift, [this is] a great way to make up for it."
The benefit raised over $600,000 in commitments on site, with guests including Blanco, Lil Dicky, Jay Shetty, and Jake Shane.
