Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union Open Up About Leaving Florida, Moving Family to California: 'Finding a Community'

Photo:Texas Isaiah/PARENTS

Texas Isaiah/PARENTS

Dwyane WadeandGabrielle Unionare opening up about making decisions that benefit their whole family.Appearing on the cover ofParents' first-ever digital issue, the retired NBA star, 41, and theBring It Onactress, 50, talked about their decision to move from Florida to California as a family.“There are a lot of reasons we decided California wasbest for our familyand finding a community for Zaya was a big part of that," Wade said of his 16-year-old daughter, who is transgender.“We felt that California was a place that would allow her to blossom and grow. She’s going to be a Junior in high school now and she’s been able to be accepted and become her here.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Texas Isaiah/PARENTS“When you have the kind of rhetoric that is being espoused in Florida and adopted into law, that’s not an option if my child isn’t safe there,” Union added.“We have family and friends who don’t have the privilege of moving. So, we are going to be fighting till we are out of breath to protect all kids who are oppressed,” she continued. “That is our responsibility as people with large platforms and as people who folks trust, and they trust us because we say the hard thing.”Texas Isaiah/PARENTSElsewhere in the conversation, the couple also talked about the lessons they strive to teach 4-year-old daughterKaavia James.“Compassion for herself,” Union emphasized. “So often, we’re drilled to be compassionate to everybody else, but we leave ourselves out of that compassion umbrella and let ourselves get drenched and drowned in self-loathing and self-judgment. And when you breed compassion in your home, [kids] can’t help but live it and expect it.”Texas Isaiah/PARENTS"This is my first time raising a little girl from this age. Zaya came to us older,” Wade added.“I don’t know what Kaav’s going to choose for herself. But if she does choose a man, I want her to look at that man she chooses and say you have to measure up to my daddy. So, the bar will be set high.“Parents’ digital issue is available nowhere.

Dwyane WadeandGabrielle Unionare opening up about making decisions that benefit their whole family.

Appearing on the cover ofParents' first-ever digital issue, the retired NBA star, 41, and theBring It Onactress, 50, talked about their decision to move from Florida to California as a family.

“There are a lot of reasons we decided California wasbest for our familyand finding a community for Zaya was a big part of that,” Wade said of his 16-year-old daughter, who is transgender.

“We felt that California was a place that would allow her to blossom and grow. She’s going to be a Junior in high school now and she’s been able to be accepted and become her here.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“When you have the kind of rhetoric that is being espoused in Florida and adopted into law, that’s not an option if my child isn’t safe there,” Union added.

“We have family and friends who don’t have the privilege of moving. So, we are going to be fighting till we are out of breath to protect all kids who are oppressed,” she continued. “That is our responsibility as people with large platforms and as people who folks trust, and they trust us because we say the hard thing.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, the couple also talked about the lessons they strive to teach 4-year-old daughterKaavia James.

“Compassion for herself,” Union emphasized. “So often, we’re drilled to be compassionate to everybody else, but we leave ourselves out of that compassion umbrella and let ourselves get drenched and drowned in self-loathing and self-judgment. And when you breed compassion in your home, [kids] can’t help but live it and expect it.”

“This is my first time raising a little girl from this age. Zaya came to us older,” Wade added.

“I don’t know what Kaav’s going to choose for herself. But if she does choose a man, I want her to look at that man she chooses and say you have to measure up to my daddy. So, the bar will be set high.”

Parents’ digital issue is available nowhere.

source: people.com