Dwayne Wade and wife Gabrielle Union hit the red carpet for the 2020 Truth Awards with Wade's 12-year-old transgender daughter Zaya. While on the red carpet, Zaya was asked how she feels about being an inspiration for others to live their truth and she said, “I think it feels great. I feel like there was always something that I was meant to do but I was never able to find it . . .And I eventually just stop looking for it and I think I found it. I just feel like all people should be able to just experience life to the fullest and I think that really includes knowing who you are truly and being able to show other people who you are. I think that's what it's all about.”
Duding the ceremony, Gabrielle said, “It was really important for Zaya’s first red carpet to be celebrating black excellence in her community, real allies show up. It goes beyond tweets and retweets and a check here and there. You have to show up and show what actual leadership looks like.”
Meanwhile, Wade thanked their friends, stylist Jason Bolden and his husband Adair for supporting Zaya. He told the crowd, “When our 8-year-old daughter Zaya Wade came home and said she has something to tell us, when she came out to us as a family, we admit we weren’t educated on the LGBTQ+ community as we should have been. So, we immediately picked up the phone and reached out to our good friends Jason and Adair. They helped us navigate the right language to use, the questions to ask, and what to listen for. They also reminded us to make sure Zaya knew her community and felt the love and support inside and outside her home. From working closely with Zaya to design her rooms in our homes to making sure that her authentic self was represented and that her bedroom felt like a sanctuary.”
He added, “Now that may seem small, but they took the time to make sure Zaya felt seen and heard as she created her own space for us was key.”
Wade later shared a photo of Zaya on Instagram, telling his followers,”Everyone allow her to re-introduce herself her name is Zaya Wade! Last night was Zaya’s first red carpet and we couldn’t have been prouder of how she handled the questions that were asked of her. She has emerged as one of the young faces and voices for the LGBTQ+ community. #truthawards.”
Gabrielle also posted a pic, along with the caption, “We keep moving forward. We keep leading with love, light, and hope for a better more inclusive world. Stay put and stay mad if you want. We keep it pushing. Always.”