Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade Thanked Daughter Zaya for "Leading Us On Our Journey"

• Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade praised daughter Zaya at Thursday's GLAAD Media Awards, and called on viewers to support the Black Trans Lives Matter movement.
• "Our daughter Zaya is leading us in our journey," Wade said. "I thank Zaya for teaching me."
• "Black lives matter and Black trans lives matter," Union said. "We are calling on all of our racial justice warriors out there to open your hearts and your minds to the LGBTQ+ community so that we can work together and empower each other and save lives."

Zaya Wade might only be 13 years old, but she's already a leader. Parents Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade applauded their daughter at the GLAAD Media Awards Thursday night, while presenting Pose with the award for Outstanding Drama Series.

"We stand as allies with the LGBTQ+ community as proud parents of a transgender child," Wade said, as People reports (opens in new tab). "Our daughter Zaya is leading us in our journey, and we’re doing all we can to give every one of our kids the ability to live their truth."

"I didn’t always understand how to do that—but I want to thank Zaya for teaching me, and GLAAD for elevating the images and messages that accelerate acceptance in every family," he said.

Union called on viewers to support the Black Trans Lives Matter movement, as E! reports (opens in new tab). "That mission means even more to us now as we raise all of our Black children. Black lives matter and Black trans lives matter," she said. "We are calling on all of our racial justice warriors out there to open your hearts and your minds to the LGBTQ+ community so that we can work together and empower each other and save lives."

Accepting the award for Outstanding Drama Series, the cast of Pose read a powerful statement, as People reports, split between cast members Dominique Jackson, Mj Rodriguez, Angelica Ross, Indya Moore, Billy Porter, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Hailie Sahar, Angel Bismark Curiel, and Dyllón Burnside. "Thank you GLAAD for your continued work and commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and for this incredible recognition of our work. Since Pose aired in June 2018, our goal—aside from taking up the TV landscape—was to honor our community," they said. "To center Black and Latinx trans and queer people unapologetically, and to be our own heroes."

"Pose is a love letter to our forbearers and to ourselves, putting us at the center of a story of resilience, love, and family," the cast continued. "A message more important now during a current climate where Black and Latinx communities continue to be disproportionately affected by a global pandemic and unjustly targeted and harmed by law enforcement."

"But let's be very, very clear: our lives matter. And I'm gonna say that again for everybody in the back as well. Our lives matter. Black lives matter. And our commitment to telling our story will never waver," the Pose stars said. "Pose is our story to tell. And we, the ones who have lived it, and are the most equipped to tell it, will continue to do so." 

Back to Zaya: In case you missed it, please enjoy the above video of her superlative gymnastics skills. 10/10!