Dwayne Wade was recently honored with the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award at The Elevate Prize Foundation’s Make Good Famous Summit.
Before accepting the award, Wade talked about his daughter Zaya’s challenges. “We’ve done so many great things here so it wasn’t easy to leave,” he said. “But the community wasn’t here for Zaya, so the community wasn’t here for us.”
Family Moves to California:
Zaya, who will turn 17 soon, came out as transgender in 2020 during a time when Florida was passing anti-trans laws. This led the Wade family to sell their home in Florida and relocate to California.
NBA great Dwyane Wade launches Translatable, an online community supporting transgender youth
— WFAA (@wfaa)
When receiving his award, Dwayne credited Zaya as the inspiration behind Translatable, an online platform supporting transgender kids and their families. He explained that Zaya wanted a safe space for both parents and children.
Support from Foundations:
Carolina García Jayaram, CEO of The Elevate Prize Foundation, announced additional support for Translatable from The Trevor Project and Human Rights Campaign. She praised Wade: “He is such a hero in sports and beyond basketball.”
I think it’s really cool how he’s using his fame to help others.
Positive Impact of Translatable:
Alexander Roque from the Ali Forney Center highlighted why Translatable is crucial now. With over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ legislative proposals this year alone in the U.S., he noted that these acts of hate deeply affect young people.
“Every time there’s an anti-LGBTQ bill in media, calls to suicide hotlines spike by 400 percent,” Roque said. “We’re also seeing more homeless LGBTQ youth due to family rejection.”
Having a celebrity like Wade invested in this cause helps change what’s happening to our kids and brings hope for better times ahead.
Actress Phoebe Robinson also praised Wade for being outspoken on important issues after his basketball career ended: “In a time when people are so worried about saying anything because they are only thinking about their bottom line, I think the fact that he’s thinking about humanity first is amazing.”
