Who is Helena Gualinga: The Activist Rumored to Be Dating Shawn Mendes
Helena is an activist dedicated to fighting for Indigenous rights and protecting the environment
Shawn Mendes kicked off the year with a vacation in Peru, sharing photos of his trip on social media. However, none of the pictures he posted include Helena Gualinga, a young woman he’s been linked to during his visit. Instead, other people have shared photos showing them together while he was in the country.
The images show them sharing hugs, walking together, and enjoying moments of closeness, which has fueled speculation. Even so, neither Shawn nor Helena has commented on the nature of their relationship. Interestingly, during his most recent tour, the Canadian singer also addressed the ongoing conversations about his sexuality.
“Since I was very young, there’s always been this thing about my sexuality, and people have talked about it for a long time. I think it’s a bit silly because sexuality is a beautifully complex thing, and it’s tough to put it into boxes,” he mentioned during one of her presentations.
Shawn Mendes’ past relationships with Sabrina Carpenter and Camila Cabello have sparked plenty of media attention, and now Helena Gualinga seems to be the name on everyone’s lips. Let’s take a closer look at this 22-year-old with a remarkable story rooted in activism and philanthropy.
Shawn Mendes & Helena Gualinga ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3n5ajNJD9H
— raya – shawn fan (@ShawnFansRaya) January 8, 2025
Helena Gualinga
Her full name is Sumak Helena Sirén Gualinga, and she was born on February 27, 2002, in Sarayaku, a small community in Ecuador’s Pastaza province. Her father, Anders Sirén, is a Swedish-Finnish professor of geography and geology at the University of Turku, while her mother, Noemí Gualinga, is an Indigenous leader from Ecuador. She also has a sister, Nina Gualinga, who is a well-known activist as well.
¡Una nueva era! Dos jóvenes #MujeresIndígenas, Nina y Helena Gualinga del pueblo @Sarayaku_Libre, en la portada de la @forbesecuador.
¡Felicidades 👏🏾a estas inspiradoras mujeres y a la lucha de su pueblo por los derechos humanos y de la Naturaleza!🏹🌿https://t.co/piTzy3w4zZ pic.twitter.com/8kpyZ30xAp
— Fundación ALDEA (@AldeaFundacion) October 12, 2023
Helena, like many women in her family, is an activist dedicated to fighting for Indigenous rights and protecting the environment. She’s a member of the Sarayaku Indigenous community, which has had ongoing conflicts with large oil companies responsible for environmental destruction in the Amazon, including desertification, wildfires, and the melting of snowcaps in the surrounding mountains.
COP25 Climate Change Summit
In 2019, Helena spoke at the COP25 Summit held in Madrid, where she addressed the challenges faced by her community. She stated: «The governments of our country continue to hand over our territories to the extractive industry without our consent. This industry is driving climate change, and it should be considered a crime.» This was just one of the many summits where she has spoken out about these critical issues.
“Estoy decepcionada de los líderes mundiales”.
Helena Gualinga, una activista amazónica de 17 años, denunció el continuo crecimiento de industrias extractivistas en territorios de pueblos originarios. pic.twitter.com/vkxFITXf6v
— AJ+Español (@ajplusespanol) December 18, 2019
Her dedication to activism has earned her significant recognition, including the Diane Von Furstenberg Leadership Award in 2023. She was also named one of Newsweek’s Extraordinary Women, highlighting her inspiring work and impact.