Selena Gomez

Selena Marie Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, in Grand Prairie, Texas,[1] to Ricardo Joel Gomez and Texas-born[2] former stage actress Mandy Teefey. [3] She was named for the Tejano performer Selena Quintanilla, who died in 1995. Her adoptive mother is Italian roots, whereas her Mexican father is also of Mexican descent. She's paternal grandparents have emigrated to Texas from Monterrey in the late 1970s. [9] Of her heritage, Gomez has said she is "a proud third-generation American-Mexican"[10] and "My family does have quinceaneras, and we go to the communion church. We follow everything Catholic However, we don't really have anything traditional except go to the park and have barbecues at the end of Sundays following church. Gomez, who was bilingual in Spanish at the age of 7 onwards, is quoted as saying: "[11] Gomez had an understanding of Spanish before she turned seven. She lived with her mother following the separation of her parents, when she was barely five. Gomez's siblings younger than her are Gracie Elliot Teefey and Marcus Gomez. They were born to Mandy Teefey and Brian Teefey. In May of 2010 she graduated for homeschooling. Gomez was born at the time her mother turned sixteen. Gomez's mom struggled to sustain the family financially during her early years. Gomez remembers having to look for quarters to buy gas for her car at one time. She later told her mother that they'd often go into the local store to buy spaghetti for dinner. Gomez told her mother that [18] "I am disappointed that my parents were not together and I never saw the shining light that my mother was working hard to create a better life for me." I'm afraid of the person I might have turned into if I'd stayed [in Texasand not moved to Texas. "[19Later, she added that her mom "was really strong around me. It was quite a burden being responsible for someone in the age group of 16. She was a tireless worker to support me. There were three jobs she held as well as a support system for me. Gomez maintained a strong bond with her parents as a child and appeared in different pageants. She claims that her parents "raised" her till she became successful in the showbiz world.