Words of wisdom. Michelle Obama gave Dwyane Wade’s 13-year-old daughter, Zaya, life tips in a touching Thursday, March 4, video.
“What advice do you have for teens who want to be themselves and thrive like you have and currently are?” Zaya asked while interviewing the former first lady, 57, about the young reader edition of her memoir, Becoming.
“Well, like you have and currently are,” the Chicago native clarified. “I am just so proud of you, you know, being just an amazing role model and embracing your truth.”
Obama went on to say that it “take[s] time to know what yourself is” as a teenager, explaining, “My first piece of advice is be patient with yourself, No. 1. At your age, or in the teenage years and probably through your 20s, you’re gonna be experimenting with so many versions of yourself, right? All young people are trying on different versions, different voices, they’re learning more about their intellect, they’re learning about what they love, what they’re good at, what they like. This is the period of exploration.”
The former lawyer, who shares daughters Malia, 22, and Sasha, 19, with Barack Obama, went on to tell Zaya to embrace “the new” in her life. She also made plans to meet the teen in person one day.
Wade’s daughter shared a screenshot from their virtual conversation via Instagram, gushing, “I’m so excited to have met this inspirational woman and my personal idol!”
Zaya’s stepmom, Gabrielle Union, commented on the social media upload: “I’m sooooo proud!!!!!!! You are such a star!” Wade, 39, on his part, left a string of star emojis.
Other celebs showed their support for Zaya, including Tia Mowry. The Sister, Sister alum called her interviewing skills “epic.”
Zaya came out as trans in February 2020. Union, 48, told Variety two months later that their family received a mix of support and “hate” after her husband made the announcement on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“It’s watching the love handle the hate that has been encouraging,” the We’re Going to Need More Wine author explained in May 2020. “We’re just loving and accepting our kids, which is not revolutionary. To some people it’s nuts. For those people who have spoken out so publicly against our family … I’m not standing on my own. The cavalry is arriving, and they are unafraid to stand in their truth and not be compromising when we look at right and wrong.”
