#ProudDad: Dwyane Wade Officially Introduces Zaya Wade to the World!
Dwyane Wade and Gabriella Union walked the red carpet tagging along with a guest very close to their hearts.
On Saturday, the power couple attended the 2020 Truth Awards with their 12-year old daughter Zaya. It is their teenager's first time walking the red carpet since she came out as transgender in February of this year.
Proud Daddy on Instagram
On Sunday, Wade took it to Instagram to give his daughter space where she could tell the world who she is. He posted a picture of Zaya and wrote in the caption, "Everyone allows her to re-introduce herself, her name is Zaya Wade!"
The NBA player proudly wrote how proud he is for his daughter, who emerged as one of the youngest faces and voices of the LGBTQ+ community. He also used the hashtag #truthawards.
This power couple surely knows how to take the lead in keeping the light, love and hope and making the world we have more inclusive.
Debut at the Red Carpet
Zaya was wearing a bright green tuxedo she paired with black pants, black boots, and a pink sash to complete the look. She posed for photos beside her proud parents Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union -- both were wearing outfits that coordinate well with that of Zaya's.
They also accessorized the look with natural sapphire necklaces. To finish it off, Zaya and Gabrielle wore matching diamond band rings by Ofira Jewels.
Both Union and Wade expressed their gratitude to stylist Jason Bolden and husband Adair for expressing their support to Zaya.
"Zaya's first walk in the red carpet is really important as we want it to be a celebration of black excellence in her community. It is really a privilege for real allies to show up," Union said in her speech, to which the crowd applauded in a show of support.
"It goes beyond the tweets and retweets and a click here and there," Uniod added. The former "America's Got Talent" judge emphasized the importance of showing example of what actual leadership looks like.
"You need to know when to shut up and pass on the microphone to the person who can speak better like what I'm about to do right now," Union said
Educating the Parents
Wade then took the microphone and started talking to the crowd about how he and his wife educated themselves when their daughter came out to them as transgender.
"When our daughter came home one day from school when she was eight, she told us who she was. We admit that we weren't educated on the LGBTQ+ community as we should have been," the former NBA star said.
"Instead, we called our friends Jason and Adair," Wade continued. "They helped up navigate through the experience. They taught us the right questions to ask and what to listen for as parents."
The couple was also reminded to make sure that Zaya knew her community and make her feel the love and support from inside and outside their home. Both Dwyane and Gabrielle made sure that Zaya's authentic self was represented in their home so that her room felt like her sanctuary.
Creating her own space was just the first step, but it was the key for these proud parents to help their child through. Then, they announced that Jason and Adair were both named as Zaya's godparents, to which the crowd cheered on.
In her post about Zaya, Gabrielle wrote, "Stay put and stay mad if you want. We keep pushing. Always."
