Zaya Wade marked her 19th birthday in a meaningful way, uniting family, friends, and supporters for a cause she passionately champions.
The model and activist organized the second annual Translatable Ball on May 30 at The Mayan in Los Angeles. With a masquerade theme, the event aimed to raise funds for the Translatable Project, a nonprofit she co-founded with her father, Dwyane Wade.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, she expressed her hopes for the event, saying, “Even though this is a masquerade, our lives are not meant to be concealed; we are meant to be visible. You can be whoever you want to be, express whatever you feel, without fear of judgment.”
Zaya also emphasized the significance of community support.
“Finding your people is crucial,” she shared. “Even when it feels daunting or lonely, organizations like Translatable and other trans support groups exist to show you that there are people ready to stand by you.”
Among those there to support Zaya were Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union.
While speaking to Teen Vogue, the couple shared their hopes for the evening.
“I want everyone to leave feeling peaceful, that they came and had a great time. Nobody needs to regulate their nervous system, because it has been regulated,” Union said.
“I want everyone to leave here feeling an expansion in their life,” Dwyane added. “Hopefully, everyone comes in and lets out their creativity, their humor, all the feelings, all of the emotions, and they walk out feeling fuller than they did when they walked in.”
After the event, Zaya reflected on the night in an Instagram post.
“The perfect birthday @translatableproject. Thank you to everyone who joined us at our second ball and made it such a special night,” she wrote.
Translatable, which launched through the Wade Family Foundation in 2024, provides resources and support for LGBTQIA+ youth and their families.