Zaya Wade’s latest project is all about supporting trans youth

Zaya Wade goes from modeling to tech with her latest project.

Wade is definitely a trendsetter and a trailblazer. When your parents are former NBA star Dwyane Wade and Hollywood A-Lister Gabrielle Union, how can you not be? The 16-year-old model, influencer, and LGBTQ+ advocate has ripped the runway and dazzled on the covers of magazines, all while still in high school.

Now, Wade is taking her advocacy to the next level with her new platform, Translatable. Founded in collaboration with her father, Translatable is “a safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth to express themselves and is a resource hub for their parents, families, and support systems,” per its website. In a video on Instagram, the father-daughter duo explained how it’ll also have a specific focus on communities of color, while carrying on the efforts that both Wade and Union utilized to support their daughter.

When Wade came out as transgender in 2020 at 12 years old, her parents rallied around her. While they didn’t know everything on how to properly support her, the Wade-Union household sought out resources and education to ensure their daughter felt confident and supported in being herself. With Translatable, those said resources are now coming to LGBTQ+ youth and their families with the click of a button.

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As reported in People Magazine, Wade has been working on Translatable since she was 14. Her work on the online platform came out of the attention she and her family received after she came out in the public eye. But her dedication to bettering the communities she identifies with took priority, something her father commended her on.

“She didn’t ask for this extra excitement in life,” Wade said for People. “She just wanted to be a kid and do kid things and live her life and be selfish and worry about herself. That’s what you’re supposed to do at her age, worry about you. But she’s thinking about a larger community, and so I’m damn proud of her as a father.”

The former NBA star recently won the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award from the Elevate Prize Foundation at the annual Make Good Famous Summit. There, he announced and launched Translatable. As part of Wade’s prize, the Elevate Prize Foundation will also supply $250,000 to fund Translatable.

Aside from its description, Translatable’s website boasts a video of Zaya and Dwyane announcing the platform and a call-to-action to sign up for email updates and to check back in on new resources, content, and upcoming site features.

Learn more about Translatable here.

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Zaya Wade’s latest project is all about supporting trans youth

Zaya Wade goes from modeling to tech with her latest project.

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