Dwyane Wade Is 'So ***n Proud' of Daughter Zaya, 16, as They Launch a New Safe Space for Trans Youth (2024)

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Dwyane Wade racked up a number of accolades during his Hall of Fame NBA career. Now, he’ll need to make room for another award — this time for his advocacy work done off the court.

Wade, 42, was presented with the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award on Thursday, May 23, in Miami, where he spent most of his Hall of Fame NBA career with the Miami Heat. The 13-time All-Star received the award for his advocacy work for the transgender community. Wade, who has turned down several honors prior to this one, says this new accolade stands separate from his basketball achievements.

“Sports is something you can expect an award from,” Wade tells PEOPLE. “But this one right here is not one of those things that I would expect to get an award for. I’m just a parent doing what a good parent should do.”

Wade’s daughter, Zaya, publicly came out as transgender in 2020, when she was 12 years old, and her father and family have been her biggest supporters.

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And though it was just Wade who was officially presented with the actual award, he says it is very much a shared prize.

“This is a Wade family award,” says Wade. “This is just part of the Wade family, all the things that we do … We feel that in this space to make the world a better place, you have to have acceptance.”

About to turn 17 on May 29, Zaya, who is a model and influencer in addition to being a high school student, has spent the past two-plus years working with her father on a new endeavor, Translatable, which is a digital platform that will provide LGBTQ+ youth a safe space to express themselves by submitting content, such as poetry, photography or any general thoughts or suggestions. Wade and Zaya will also be posting their own content on the site.

The platform will also provide educational resources for families of children with questions about gender identity.

Zaya has been working with her father on Translatable since she was 14, shortly after her coming out thrust the teenager into the spotlight. Given the attention she has received, Wade has immense pride for the way Zaya has carried herself.

“She didn't ask for this extra excitement in life,” Wade says “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 award, meanwhile, was given out by the Elevate Prize Foundation at its annual Make Good Famous Summit, at which several activists and entrepreneurs were also recognized for their work. As part of the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award, the foundation will contribute $250,000 in funding to Translatable, which was formally launched at the summit by Wade after receiving the award.

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“For us, Dwyane Wade really does embody this beautiful combination of being a beacon within the NBA, somebody that is looked up to by other players, teams, obviously the fans and has a lot of social power,” Elevate Prize Foundation CEO Carolina García Jayaram tells PEOPLE. “He's used it for good for so many years, and now is kind of entering this new real chapter of his philanthropy and his impact work. And we're just so honored that we're at that moment with him. It seems such a natural fit as he's embarking on this work with Translatable.”

Wade is the first athlete to be honored with the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award, which is given to well-known figures who use their influence to encourage social action. Previous winners include Michael J. Fox, Malala Yousafzai and Matt Damon.

Wade was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2023, having played 16 seasons in the league, 15 of which were spent in Miami. As a member of the Heat, Wade won three championships, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

During his playing career, Wade was outspoken on social justice issues, giving a speech in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the 2016 ESPY Awards alongside fellow basketball stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul.

Since Zaya came out, Wade has become a staunch ally for the LGBTQ+ community and has tried to serve as a role model for other parents, along with his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, Zaya’s stepmother.

“You will hope as a parent that your kids feel comfortable to communicate with you when they're confused and they're looking for answers,” Wade says. “Whatever it is they are experiencing, that they feel comfortable enough to express those things to you. You won't want it to be someone else. At the end of the day, they're your kids. But you have to create the environment for that.”

It was significant that Wade received the award in Miami, which became known as Wade County during his playing days. He made news last year when he announced he was leaving Florida, in part because of the state’s controversial anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, saying his family wouldn't be accepted.

While Wade says he didn’t intend for his family’s move to make waves, he understands why it became such a big conversation. He hopes that this award and the work with the foundation will help foster change in the state.

“I would love to feel that my entire family is accepted here, in a place that has Wade County,” Wade says. “You’re damn right that's important.