Basketball legend Dwyane Wade is teaming up with daughter, Zaya, to create an organization dedicated to serving as a safe space for trans youth with special attention to trans youth of color.
On Thursday, May 23, the Wade duo announced the creation of their organization, Translatable, via an Instagram video.
“Translatable aims to serve as a community safe space for youth to express themselves through a number of creative outlets,” says Zaya who came out as transgender in 2020 and will be 17 on May 29.
“Translatable is also a resource hub for parents, families, and support systems of the LBGTQIA+ youth,” Dwyane adds. “For our family, we were blessed to have a community of supporters, and knowledgeable experts who could swiftly arm us with the tools we needed to support Zaya and her journey….I’m so very proud of the daughter I’ve had the opportunity to raise. She has been my biggest educator and inspiration and what it means to be true to you.”
A few hours after the social media announcement, the 42-year-old Chicago native was presented with the Catalyst Award at the Elevate Prize Foundation’s Make Good Famous Summit, where he used the moment to talk about Zaya’s passion for bring Translatable to reality.
“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 said. “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 That’s what Translatable is, and it’s her baby.”
The prestigious Catalyst Award also comes with a $250k funding bonus that Wade has pledged to put into Translatable to help the organization in its efforts to “support growth, mental health, and well-being, and that this space ignites more conversations leading to greater understanding and acceptance.”
More information about Translatable can found at the company’s website, www.translatableproject.com.
