Have You Heard About The Translatable Project?

Hello, friends! I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, full of connection, rejuvenation, and fond memories of anyone we remember and hold in our hearts. There are so many things going on in the world these days, but in the spirit of a holiday weekend, I thought I’d keep today’s post short and uplifting. In that light I’m wondering: have you heard about The Translatable Project?

Dwayne Wade and his daughter Zaya are the architects of this brand new project. If you haven’t heard about the work these inspirational people are doing, here’s your chance. Dwayne Wade is a retired NBA all star, a father of four, and is well known for his philanthropy. Now he’s making waves with his vocal support of his daughter, Zaya, who came out as transgender at the age of twelve, and the work the two of them are doing together to support transgender rights and community education.

Their newest endeavor is The Translatable Project. This website was launched on May 23rd, 2024 (just five days prior to the writing of this post!), and it acts as a hub and “a community safe space for youth to express themselves through a number of creative outlets,” and also serves as a source of resources for parents and others who support the LGBTQIA+ community. The site is focused on communities of color and “emphasizes the importance of parents and family.” The site recognizes the lack of “digestible and relatable” resources and information for communities of color. It’s a collaborative space, meant to encourage participation in conversations and free expression.

In the short video on the website, I love how Dwayne and Zaya emphasize the ever evolving nature of learning, and how we can learn together. Despite their leadership roles, they emphasize that they are still learning too, which makes for a really welcoming atmosphere. 

We are all still learning! Information and language are evolving so fast that disclaimers often need to be made for published works that are only a few years old. How cool that this is a website that plans on evolving. I feel really curious about keeping an eye on this site to see what I can learn from this growth. And I hope to see the art and words of trans youth and their families!

I’ll take a respectful moment here to shine a light on the fact that black and brown transgender people are some of the most targeted people in the world (especially trans women of color, and especially those with disabilities). Our world is brutally hard on the LGBTQIA+ community and communities of color, and we are far from completely reckoning with the needs of multiple layers of oppression. Kimberle Crenshaw speaks eloquently on this topic in this quick video on Intersectionality. It’s only five minutes, but you’ll be wiser for watching it. I strongly encourage it! 

I love it that The Translatable Project is holding space for communities of color to come together in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. I love that there are more and more spaces that display trans joy, trans accomplishment, and trans dignity. I love it that families who grow and celebrate with their trans family members have a place to let that light shine. Trans people are not tragic, their families are not burdened, and the love that all families can share is just as present in those families as well. Go Dwayne and Zaya!

If you’d like to move into a space of celebration about your trans child or family member but are feeling stuck getting there, let’s talk! Book a 20 minute, complimentary consultation to see if coaching is right for you in this (or any!) area of life. You can also find my services at nurturelifecoaching.com. I can’t wait to talk about how we can bring more joy and togetherness into your life!