Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade delivered a powerful and moving speech advocating for the rights of the Black LGBTQ community during the 2023 NAACP Image Awards. With their words, they called for a new era of activism and a commitment to ensuring that everyone is treated with respect, acceptance, and inclusion. Watch their moving speech inside…
Our culture our excellence #NAACPImageAward pic.twitter.com/1z3FMdgv7N
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) February 26, 2023
During the 2023 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday night, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade gave an impactful acceptance speech on the significance of supporting the Black trans and LGBTQ communities while receiving the esteemed President’s Award.
The Wades graced the stage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and delivered a heartfelt speech that paid tribute to D. Wade’s 15-year-old daughter, Zaya Wade, who publicly revealed her transgender identity in 2020.
D. Wade expressed his deliberate efforts in utilizing his platform and acknowledged his responsibility in amplifying the voices of others and offering his privileges and resources. “I am conscious of my actions, and I understand the opportunities I have been granted. It is my duty to promote the perspectives of others,” he stated.
At the start of their acceptance speech, the retired NBA player expressed his admiration for his daughter’s courage in staying true to herself despite the daily discrimination she encounters.
“As your father, my job isn’t to create a version of myself or direct your future,” he said. “My role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, your wishes, and your dreams. Zaya, you’ve made me a better human just simply by being who you were born to be: our baby girl, Zaya Wade. You’ve taught me that communication with my mouth isn’t enough. I have to also communicate with my two ears and my two eyes,” he continued.
He concluded, “Zaya, you’ve made me a better human just simply by being who you were born to be, a baby girl, Zaya Wade,” he said. “So baby thank you for showing the world what courage looks like. So, baby, thank you for showing the world what courage looks like. I’m proud that I was chosen to stand in place as your father.”
During her part of the speech, Gabby emphasized the importance of entering a “new era of activism” that involves backing the transgender and LGBTQ community. She urged for stronger support and solidarity towards these marginalized communities.
“It’s humbling to stand here surrounded by friends and heroes, OGs and icons, all working to advance the lives of Black people and pay respect to an organization that had led us through over a century of relentless challenge, pain, triumph, and change,” she said. “And now stands with us again at the foot of a very new era of activism, a new era that demands our collective answer to one simple question: Will we fight for some, or will we fight for all of our people? Even as we demand equality at the top of our lungs, we consistently fail to extend our advocacy to protect some of our most vulnerable among us.”
The “Being Mary Jane” star also criticized the treatment of Black transgender people, saying, “Every day, everywhere in this country, Black trans people are being targeted, terrorized, and hunted, and there’s rarely a whisper about it.”
“We honestly don’t approach this work as activists or leaders as much as we do this as parents,” she said. “Parents who love our children and will do whatever the hell we can to keep them seen and secure and safe.”
Gabby shared the video of their acceptance speech on her Twitter account where she shared her own father, Sylvester Union, is currently in the hospital fighting for his life. She didn’t give any details on her father’s condition.
”As my own father fights for his life in the hospital, I had to remember that he raised 3 fighters & I fought to get thru the speech. Once D said the word ‘father’ I just broke. Thank yall for showing me grace tonight,” she tweeted.
Watch their full speech below:
As my own father fights for his life in the hospital, I had to remember that he raised 3 fighters & I fought to get thru the speech. Once D said the word “father” I just broke. Thank yall for showing me grace tonight https://t.co/jhsx9fwxgW
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) February 26, 2023
We’re sending prayers up for her father.
A few days ago…
A judge granted Zaya Wade an official name and gender change. According to court documents, a Los Angeles County judge approved the petition on February 24th, which was originally filed by the former NBA star in August 2022.
The teen’s name has been changed from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade because she is now legally recognized as female.
Zaya’s mother, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, on the other hand, attempted to stop her ex-husband’s petition from being approved. D. Wade’s ex-wife filed an objection in a Los Angeles County court in November of last year, requesting that Zaya wait until she reached “the age of majority” before making permanent changes to her identity.
Siohvaughn Funches-Wade accused the former NBA player of profiting from Zaya’s transition, which he said was “libelous.” He took to Instagram to respond to her claims.
“Siohvaughn’s allegations are libelous at their core, and are, at best, nonsensical,” D. Wade said in the documents. “Dwyane filed this Petition because Zaya asked him to. It is unclear if Siohvaughn’s goal is to relitigate her divorce and custody dispute with Dwyane, or to resume her campaign of personal attacks against Dwyane, but it is clear that her objections have little, if anything, to do with Zaya’s best interest.”
D. Wade and Siohvaughn were married for eight years before divorcing in 2010. The former couple also share a 21-year-old son, Zaire Wade. D. Wade also has a 9-year-old son, Xavier, with Aja Metoyer, and a 4-year-old daughter, Kaavia, with his wife, Gabrielle Union.
Photo: Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock
