Dwyane Wade has remained vocal in his support of transgender youth.
This is in part due to having his own child, Zaya, who identifies as transgender. She shared the news in 2020 amid anti-trans legislation in the state of Florida, The Associated Press reports. The Wade family chose to sell their home in Florida as a result and moved to California in 2023.
“We’ve done so many great things here so it wasn’t easy to leave,” Wade told the outlet. “But the community wasn’t here for Zaya, so the community wasn’t here for us.”
Now, Wade is taking greater strides to create a more inclusive environment for transgender people and their families through the establishment of Translatable, described as a digital platform that will create community for trans youth while providing their family and friends with educational resources.
The venture was announced on Thursday, May 23, 2024, during the Elevate Prize Foundation’s Make Good Famous Summit. Wade was also presented with the nonprofit’s Elevate Prize Catalyst Award by its CEO, Carolina Garcia Jayaram, and founder, Joseph Deitch.
“The world we live in today is far different from the world we grew up in, but it’s paramount that we open our eyes, hearts, and minds to see the bigger picture,” Wade said, according to a statement on Instagram. “And, for me and my family, that bigger picture all boils down to love.”
Jayaram commented to The Associated Press, “Dwyane Wade and what he represents speaks to the ethos of the whole foundation. He is such a hero in the sports universe and even beyond basketball. He’s been in the social justice space almost since the very beginning of his NBA career, and most people don’t know that.”
Providing further context to the AP, Wade credits Zaya for the launch of the venture and for helping to guide its focus.
“The question was presented to her as, ‘If you have one thing that you want to see change in this community, what would it be?,’” Wade recalled to the outlet. “And, for her, it goes right to parents. It goes right to the adults. It goes right to us. It’s not the kids. It’s us. And so she wanted to create a space that felt safe for parents and their kids. That’s what Translatable is, and it’s her baby.”
Translatable, which is funded by the Wade Family Foundation, will also be empowered with $250,000 in unrestricted funding that Wade earned as a recipient of The Elevate Prize Catalyst Award for Translatable. His wish is that it will foster “growth, mental health, and well-being, and that this space ignites more conversations leading to greater understanding and acceptance.”
