In the wake of Zaya Wade making her Paris Fashion Week debut, she’s opening up about the love and support she gets from her family members!
Additionally, she’s proclaiming how she aims to utilize her voice to help others in the LGBTQ+ community.
Zaya Wade Says She’s ‘Strongest’ When Surrounded By Her Loving Family
During a recent feature in Dazed magazine, the 15-year-old spoke on what makes her “feel empowered.” Warmly, she shared that simply spending time with her family is what does the trick.
“When my family surrounds me. They are such a giant support system and have always been there for me. No matter what happens, I feel strongest when I’m with them.”
RELATED: Dwyane Wade And Gabrielle Union Celebrate Zaya Wade’s Winter Formal Look: ‘We 10 Toes Down Always’
Zaya continued and specifically acknowledged some life lessons she’s learned from her stepmother, Gabrielle Union.
“The lesson has changed over time, but more recently it’s that beauty is in yourself. It’s about being you and expressing yourself the way you want to.”
Zaya continued, noting that the Bring It On actress actively tries to instill the mentality that “beauty standards are arbitrary” and ultimately “don’t mean anything.”
“She tries to teach me that beauty standards are arbitrary and that they don’t mean anything. They don’t matter any more; what people thought was the standard is not. And just that being myself is the best technique out there.”
She Wants To Use Her Voice For The Betterment Of The LGBTQ+ Community: ‘I’m A Microphone’
Aside from speaking on her relationship with her family, Zaya also dished on what the future has in store for her.
After reflecting on how “so many big changes” have occurred in her personal life over the past few years, Zaya acknowledged how it’s her “honor to continue” advocating for the LGBTQ+ community.
“So many big changes have happened over the last couple of years with me, but also just in general. I think it’s not my job, but it’s my honor to continue and further my family’s education and appreciation for the entire LBGTQ+ community as we grow together.”
She went on to refer to herself as a “microphone” for the community, and she aims to “use [her] personal experience to broadcast the positives and also the negatives in life.”
“I’m a microphone. I am my own person and I have my own experiences, but for me, as a role model, I try to use my personal experience to broadcast the positives and also the negatives in life, because a lot of LGBTQ+ youth go unrecognized in every way.”
Zaya noted, “I think I am here to share those experiences: to voice them, but also to enhance them. So the world can know, ‘We are here, we are queer, we are here to stay, and we aren’t going anywhere.'”
Ultimately, she shared that she aims to “do more for [her] community,” and 2023 is the year that she’s going to make it happen.
“I want to do more for my community. I went through a journey of self-discovery, and even though I am a voice, there is so much more I can do. I’m a teenager, so there are limitations, but I want to push past that to set the foundation for those in need. This year I plan to do more and be there for people like me.”
So, in other words, Zaya is actively planning to focus her efforts on helping others, and she has her family’s support in this endeavor!
Shoutout to Zaya Wade, and we wish her the best as she continues to live her best life!
