SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Citing a pattern of behavior and off-field issues, San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke informed defensive lineman Ray McDonald that he was released Wednesday amid a sexual assault investigation by San Jose police. Baalke spoke with McDonald and his agent by phone around 11:30 a.m. PST to let them know the defender is “terminated” “After the recent allegations concerning Ray McDonald, we as an organization notified him and his agent that he will be terminated, released immediately, effective immediately,” Baalke said. “While this organization has a strong belief in due process and has demonstrated that over time, Ray’s demonstrated …

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Citing a pattern of behavior and off-field issues, San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke informed defensive lineman Ray McDonald that he was released Wednesday amid a sexual assault investigation by San Jose police.

Baalke spoke with McDonald and his agent by phone around 11:30 a.m. PST to let them know the defender is “terminated” “After the recent allegations concerning Ray McDonald, we as an organization notified him and his agent that he will be terminated, released immediately, effective immediately,” Baalke said. “While this organization has a strong belief in due process and has demonstrated that over time, Ray’s demonstrated a pattern of poor decision-making that has led to multiple distractions to this organization and this football team that really can no longer be tolerated.”

Baalke said CEO Jed York and coach Jim Harbaugh also were involved in the decision.

“We expect a lot from our players, hold them accountable for their actions,” Baalke said. “This is a situation that we can all learn from.”

Baalke said the 49ers notified the NFL of the allegations against McDonald, saying: “This is a team decision. This is not a league decision.”

San Jose police Sgt. Heather Randol said Wednesday that the department is investigating McDonald on suspicion of sexual assault and had searched his San Jose home.

Randol said an area hospital notified police late Tuesday night that a woman was seeking treatment.

“The victim alleged she was possibly sexually assaulted a day prior,” Randol said. “Based on preliminary investigation, detectives secured a search warrant and served it at the alleged suspect’s residence in San Jose.”

Randol didn’t immediately respond to follow up questions seeking to clarify the reference to the alleged victim saying she was “possibly” sexually assaulted.

No arrests have been made nor charges filed. McDonald’s agent, Tom Condon, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

McDonald’s mother, Labrina McDonald, told the San Jose Mercury News the allegation was “laughable” and not true.

She said her son warned her not to talk to the media, but she told the paper that “there’s no truth to that stuff.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is “looking into” the case.

York spoke to the 49ers players about two weeks ago about conduct before NFL owners unanimously approved changes last week to the league’s personal-conduct policy — and “it was clear” what the expectations are with the 49ers, linebacker Dan Skuta said.

“You just really don’t know what to believe, so I’m not getting mad at Ray,” Skuta said. “Obviously you want him here with you and you’re a little upset he’s not here. I have no business getting upset with him for something that he may or may not have done.”

This is the second time in recent months that McDonald has been the subject of a police investigation.

Last month, the Santa Clara County district attorney’s office announced that it declined to file charges against the defensive lineman in a domestic violence investigation. He was arrested Aug. 31 while celebrating his then-upcoming 30th birthday at his home.

Following the arrest, York, Baalke and Harbaugh repeatedly said they have zero tolerance for domestic violence. The 49ers stuck by McDonald throughout the investigation, with Harbaugh regularly saying that “due process” would play out. He played despite outside pressure on Harbaugh and the organization to bench him.

Prosecutors cited conflicting versions of what happened, a lack of verifiable eyewitnesses and a lack of cooperation by the alleged victim, McDonald’s fiancee, in explaining their decision not to pursue charges in the domestic violence investigation.

McDonald received a five-year contract in July 2011 and he was one of the top players Baalke had wanted to bring back long term.

“Like you would expect, extremely disappointed,” Baalke said. “We drafted Ray in the third round. He’s been an awful good football player and for the most part, has been a tremendous asset to this organization and this community. He has made some poor decisions. He’s aware of that. This is a case of being accountable for those decisions.”

McDonald was signed through the 2015 season. He had 26 tackles and three sacks in 14 games this season.

Harbaugh notified the players Wednesday of McDonald’s dismissal. An eight-year NFL veteran, McDonald has been a key member of one of the NFL’s fiercest front seven units.

“Not a situation you want to hear about, very unfortunate,” quarterback Colin Kaepernick said. “He just brought us together and let us know what the situation was and why he was released. It’s tough. He was a good friend to a lot of people on this team. No one around him ever thought bad of him. He was always a good person to everyone around here. Hopefully it’s just a misunderstanding.”

___

Elias reported from San Francisco.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Originally posted here – 

49ers Release Ray McDonald Amid Sexual Assault Allegation

Never in the 30 years since the the Federal Reserve first starting collecting wealth data has the divide between the rich and everyone else been so large, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center. The wealth gap in the U.S. last year was the biggest since at least 1983, according to the report. The median wealth of upper-income families was 6.6 times that of middle-income families in 2013, up from 6.2 in 2010. Those same upper-income families are now nearly 70 times wealthier than low-income families — also a record gap. Thirty years ago, the richest households’ wealth was only 3.4 times that of middle-income households. (Source: Pew Research) There are two main reasons for the growing gulf between the rich …

Never in the 30 years since the the Federal Reserve first starting collecting wealth data has the divide between the rich and everyone else been so large, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center.

The wealth gap in the U.S. last year was the biggest since at least 1983, according to the report. The median wealth of upper-income families was 6.6 times that of middle-income families in 2013, up from 6.2 in 2010.

Those same upper-income families are now nearly 70 times wealthier than low-income families — also a record gap.

There are two main reasons for the growing gulf between the rich and everyone else: stagnant middle-class wages and the rising wealth of America’s richest families. While median middle-income wealth was flat between 2010 and 2013 — stuck at $96,500 — the wealth of upper-income families jumped to $639,400 from $595,300. Lower-income wealth dropped slightly to $9,300 from $10,500.

“The latest data reinforce the larger story of America’s middle class household wealth stagnation over the past three decades,” Pew’s Richard Fry and Rakesh Kochhar wrote in a release. “Without any palpable increase in their wealth since 2010, middle- and lower-income families’ wealth levels in 2013 are comparable to where they were in the early 1990s.”

Pew divided the country’s families into three groups — high, middle and low income — by adjusting a family’s income according to its size and then comparing it to the nation’s median family income. If a family only made two-third of U.S. median income, it was considered low income. If it made between two-thirds and two times the median income, it was considered middle income. If it made more than that, it was considered high income.

The report focused on wealth, which may give a broader picture of a family’s financial situation than income. Wealth consists of the assets people own, like houses and stocks, minus the debts they owe.

Wealth and income inequality have risen together in recent decades, to some extent feeding each other. The rich have enjoyed most of the fruits of the recovery, thanks at least in part to a ripping stock-market rally that padded their wealth while also boosting their incomes.

French economist Thomas Piketty has warned that unfettered capitalism will lead to even more grotesque wealth inequality because returns on investments like stocks and real estate — stuff the wealthy own — generally outpace economic growth and wages.

That warning is looking more and more like a reality in the U.S., which has seen much more of its income growth going to its top 1 percent of earners in recent decades than any other developed country:

See the article here:

U.S. Wealth Gap Hits Record High

With winter in full effect and the desire to escape to warmer destinations grows, what better way to wrap up the year than with celebrating various sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Earlier this month the Eastern Caribbean island of Anguilla hosted the 21st Annual World Travel Awards at the island’s luxurious CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa. And to help conclude the prestigious event, which is hailed as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry,’ award-winning actress Vivica A. Fox hosted the highly anticipated Grand Final Gala Ceremony. For Fox, who is set to star in the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice,” serving …

With winter in full effect and the desire to escape to warmer destinations grows, what better way to wrap up the year than with celebrating various sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

Earlier this month the Eastern Caribbean island of Anguilla hosted the 21st Annual World Travel Awards at the island’s luxurious CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa. And to help conclude the prestigious event, which is hailed as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry,’ award-winning actress Vivica A. Fox hosted the highly anticipated Grand Final Gala Ceremony.

For Fox, who is set to star in the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice,” serving as the event’s hostess was an amazing experience.

“I had the most amazing time in Anguilla hosting The World Travel Awards,” she wrote in an email statement to the Huffington Post. “Meeting amazing travel titans from all around the world that strive for the best was refreshing and fun! Floating in the beautiful waters in Anguilla and staying at CuisinArt golf Resort and Spa was a great bonus too.”

To further solidify Anguilla as a coveted destination, which has welcomed the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce, Jay Z, Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, and Sofia Vergara to name a few, the island was also voted the World’s Leading Luxury Island Destination from a short list that included top-tier candidates such as St. Barts, Maldives and Mauritius.

“Tourism is a vital part of our economy, and we have been working closely with the local and international businesses community to implement a number of ground breaking initiatives over the last two years to generate tourism growth,” Anguilla Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Tourism and Sports, Haydn Hughes said in a statement.

“I am pleased to say that our hard work is bearing fruit with a solid increase in the number of tourists visiting Anguilla over this period. To welcome the World Travel Awards cements our commitment and further provides us with reason to celebrate.”

For a full list of winners from the 21st Annual World Travel Awards click here.

Original source: 

Vivica A. Fox Brings Hollywood Glam To The ‘World’s Leading Luxury Island Destination’

News headlines and social media buzz these past few weeks has put us face to face with the ugliness of police brutality in America. The cry that #blacklivesmatter has grabbed the attention of people from all walks of life, all over the world. There is a feeling that resistance through organized movements is taking America by storm. I recently participated in a #diein with the students at the university where I teach. I frequently engage in online activism. Challenging the epidemic of extrajudicial murder of black people as well as other forms to discrimination are essential to changing the inequities and ending brutality in our nation. While taking it to the streets-style activism is certainly viable, …

News headlines and social media buzz these past few weeks has put us face to face with the ugliness of police brutality in America. The cry that #blacklivesmatter has grabbed the attention of people from all walks of life, all over the world. There is a feeling that resistance through organized movements is taking America by storm. I recently participated in a #diein with the students at the university where I teach. I frequently engage in online activism. Challenging the epidemic of extrajudicial murder of black people as well as other forms to discrimination are essential to changing the inequities and ending brutality in our nation.

While taking it to the streets-style activism is certainly viable, I want to make a case for another form: Art. Taking it to the theater, museum or concert hall allows us to engage with art that is transformative and radical. We must consider the power of art to provoke, reclaim and advocate.

Consider: “Selma” director Ava DuVernay just received several Golden Globe nominations, including the first best director nod for an African-American woman. Although her film about the Rev. Martin Luther King’s historic march at the Edmund Pettis Bridge opens on Christmas Day, Oscar buzz has already begun. “Selma” will not only educate audiences about this watershed moment in the Civil Rights Movement but also help them contextualize current protests.

I also plan to see Chris Rock’s new comedy, “Top Five” and “Beyond the Lights.” Shondaland’s line up of shows are on my must-see docket. Indeed I believe all forms of art– from theater and music to painting and sculpture must go hand in hand with our involvement with protest. It enriches our demands.

Where would the Civil Rights Movement been without protest music? How effective would the Black Power Movement have been without the poetry and plays of the Black Arts Movement? Art is not a retreat from the headlines but a way to understand and process the way the news bear down on your soul. Audre Lorde asserted “poetry is not a luxury.” Well, neither is theater or film or any other art form. Art is a necessity to a people and to protest movements.

Many find art frivolous and not as powerful or effective as policy or laws but there is evidence to the contrary. Blackartmatters because a new study suggests that even whites that believe they are not racist or even prejudice harbor implicit bias against black people. I believe that many blacks harbor negative feelings about other blacks too because living in a society that depicts blacks as less than, dangerous, or other permeates everyone’s consciousness. Remember the 1947 doll test that showed that black children selected a white doll over a black one because they considered them superior? Well, nearly six decades later studies suggest that children of all races still believe that lighter skin is superior.

I encourage us to embrace art, particular black art that heals, testifies and regenerates. Supporting this work is not simply about celebrating the careers of rising entertainment stars, but because the work our entertainers do has an important role to play in the struggle for justice and to catalog its triumphs.

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When the Daily News Weighs My Spirit Down, I Turn to Art

As 2014 draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to reflect on noteworthy films, strong performances and the strides that black artists made this past year. It’s also a good time to spotlight the top-quality movies that will vie for Oscars and be released in theaters and on DVD/VOD in weeks to come. (Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures) David Oyelowo and Carmen Egojo co-star in the historical bio/drama Selma, one of the 10 best films of 2014. Belle (***1/2) A mind-boggling story based on fact about a biracial female being raised in a white aristocratic home in 18-century England. Actress extraordinaire Gugu Mbatha-Raw lights up the screen in…

As 2014 draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to reflect on noteworthy films, strong performances and the strides that black artists made this past year. It’s also a good time to spotlight the top-quality movies that will vie for Oscars and be released in theaters and on DVD/VOD in weeks to come.

Belle (***1/2) A mind-boggling story based on fact about a biracial female being raised in a white aristocratic home in 18-century England. Actress extraordinaire Gugu Mbatha-Raw lights up the screen in a very romantic and surprisingly socially-relevant tale. Lavish production elements. Nice acting all around. Strong writing by Misan Sagay. Smart direction by British director Amma Asante.

Beyond the Lights (***) This ode to chanteuses fighting personal demons (Rihanna-types) is the brainchild of writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who made the most romantic film of the year. A wayward pop/hip hop singer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle) is rescued by a stoic cop (Nate Parker). A sweet, modern love story set in the soul-eating, kinetic music industry. Well-written, directed and acted.

Birdman (****) It’s not like Michael Keaton’s career was kaput, but it seems like he raised himself from the dead with this invigorating performance. Mexican director/writer Alejandro González Iñárritu gave Keaton a plum role as a has-been actor and ex-super hero trying to make it big on Broadway. The line between reality and fantasy is blurred. Excellent acting from all involved including Ed Norton and Naomi Watts.

Boyhood (****) Shooting a film over the course of 12 years takes patience and imagination. Writer/director Richard Linklater had that in abundance as he followed the life of a small boy into young adulthood. Patricia Arquette as the stalwart mom is superb and Ethan Hawke as the bungling dad is pretty good too.

Dear White People (***) The narrative follows the plight of four black students at an almost all-white Ivy League school. Biting satire plays havoc with race relations. Credit filmmaker Justin Simien with a brilliant view on a complex subject and for equating Quentin Tarantino’s Django with Birth of a Nation and Gone With the Wind. Bravo.

Grand Budapest Hotel (***1/2) Wes Anderson’s quirky films (The Royal Tenenbaums) have been an acquired taste only a few could love until this whimsical story about a snowy mountaintop hotel in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka. To hell with conventional storytelling, just throw in a confusing plotline, a bazillion cameos and wait for the dust to settle. Sweet ensemble acting. Tony Revolori, as the quirky bellboy Zero Moustafa, steals the movie.

St. Vincent (***1/2) — Something about saying grouch and eccentric and Bill Murray seems redundant. Murray is a Brooklyn neighbor who babysits the vulnerable kid next door. His idea of teaching the boy how to be a man involves betting on the horses, drinking in bars and beating up the class bully. Cool. Nicely directed by Theodore Melfi. Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts and Terrence Howard chew up the scenery in the year’s best comedy.

Selma (****) It’s as if David Oyelowo was born to play Martin Luther King — same nose, skin tone and cadence. Carmen Ejogo as Coretta is perfectly cast too. Smartly directed by Ava DuVernay, who steps out of the shadows of small indie filmmaking to create an Oscar-caliber, historical film that depicts the bravery of a civil rights activist and a fiery reverend who outsmarted LBJ and got the Voting Rights Bill passed. Inspiring.

Starred Up (***/12) A violent British adolescent (Jack O’Connell, Unbroken) gets sent to a tough prison where his dad (Ben Mendolsohn) is a career jailbird. This brutal film makes HBO’s Oz look like Sesame Street. Stark realism is so gruesome you can’t look at the screen. Director David Mackenzie gets under the grimy skin of prison life in a way that will make you never one want to get arrested.

Whiplash (***1/2) Who knew band practice could be coupled with emotional abuse? Young actor Miles Teller plays a very ambitious drum student at a prestigious music school who is tormented by an instructor (J.K Simmons), who is more sadistic than Satan. Damien Chazelle’s script takes you places you didn’t dream you’d go and his direction doesn’t give you a way out. You’ll stay until the best man wins.

Honorable mention:
Cesar Chavez
Cuban Fire
The Drop
Force Majeure
Fury
Get On Up
I Am Ali
Ida
Le Weekend
Maleficent
Nightcrawler
Omar
Ride Along
Salt of the Earth
A Stranger Among Men
Think Like a Man Too
Unbroken

Overrated:
Babadook (Repulsive protagonists handcuff this inventive horror movie.)
The Equalizer (Empty action film.)
Foxcatcher (Steve Carell’s performance is dull and one-note. Wrestling looks boring)
The Judge (Robert Downey Jr. is out-classed by Robert Duval.)
Men, Women & Children (Nice subject matter. Man VS the Internet. Poor execution)
Interstellar (Space movie spends too much time earthbound.)
Exodus: Gods and Kings (A biblical movie bereft of a spiritual feeling.)
Snowpiercer (Monotonous train ride to hell.)
Gone Girl (Two unlikable characters add up to an inconsequential movie.)

Worst Movies:
Dumb and Dumber 2 (The first one was a classic comedy. This one was classless.)
Hercules (The Rock was good as Herc. Bret Ratner’s direction was awful.)
Magic in the Moonlight (Woody Allen phones in another ho-hum movie.)
A Million Ways to Die in the West (Seth MacFarlane directs a dud western.)
Nymphomaniac: Vol. I and Vol. II (Remember when sex used to be fun?)
Sex Tape (A whole movie devoted to a missing sex tape. Really?)
Tyler Perry’s Single Mom’s Club (He churns movies out like a sweat shop factory.)

Visit NNPA Syndication Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.

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The Best Films of 2014

Each December, HuffPost editors eagerly await the cozy sweaters that Arianna Huffington gives her employees for the holidays. The tradition dates back to the site’s launch in 2005, so some editors have developed quite the sweater collections over the past nine years. But this season, Arianna decided to switch things up and give the gift of sleepwear. You’re probably wondering why a boss would gift her employees PJs. Well, when you have a leader who takes her sleep so seriously that she encourages people who work for her to “sleep their way to the top,” it makes perfect sense. After all, putting on a comfy pair of PJs helps create a ritual at bedtime. Just like your …

Each December, HuffPost editors eagerly await the cozy sweaters that Arianna Huffington gives her employees for the holidays. The tradition dates back to the site’s launch in 2005, so some editors have developed quite the sweater collections over the past nine years. But this season, Arianna decided to switch things up and give the gift of sleepwear.

You’re probably wondering why a boss would gift her employees PJs. Well, when you have a leader who takes her sleep so seriously that she encourages people who work for her to “sleep their way to the top,” it makes perfect sense.

After all, putting on a comfy pair of PJs helps create a ritual at bedtime. Just like your morning routine revs you up for the day ahead, your night time behaviors can help you prepare for more restful sleep. Dim the lights, power down your devices and give yourself some time to unwind before hitting the hay — and don’t charge your phone by your bed!

We have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season, including reaching 126 million unique visitors and expanding HuffPost to 13 international editions around the world! So after nine years of finding perfectly wrapped sweaters on our desks, we’re looking forward to ringing in the next decade of HuffPost with plush pajamas.

Check out the photos below of HuffPost teams across the world showing off their holiday PJs and toasting to another year of success and sleep.

HuffPost pajama party goods were provided by Home Depot, Casper, Love Sac, Boll & Branch and Moët.

Originally from: 

HuffPost Teams Show Off Their Holiday Pajamas

After seven decades, a black 14-year-old boy has been cleared of murder. In 1944, George Stinney was convicted of murdering two white girls in Alcolu, South Carolina. He was executed via the electric chair after his white lawyer called no witnesses and performed no cross-examinations. Judge Carmen Mullins vacated the conviction against Stinney on Wednesday, WISTV reports. In January, a judge agreed to hear new testimony and arguments in the case. At a hearing that month, Solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney III argued the conviction should stand. “They weren’t trying to railroad every black person associated with Alcolu and these little…

After seven decades, a black 14-year-old boy has been cleared of murder.

In 1944, George Stinney was convicted of murdering two white girls in Alcolu, South Carolina. He was executed via the electric chair after his white lawyer called no witnesses and performed no cross-examinations.

Judge Carmen Mullins vacated the conviction against Stinney on Wednesday, WISTV reports.

In January, a judge agreed to hear new testimony and arguments in the case.

At a hearing that month, Solicitor Ernest “Chip” Finney III argued the conviction should stand.

“They weren’t trying to railroad every black person associated with Alcolu and these little girls. They made a determination based on facts we don’t have today that George Stinney should be detained,” Finney said.

But an attorney arguing on behalf of Stinney said the state handled the case so badly that it merited another look.

“The state, as an entity, has very unclean hands,” attorney Miller Shealy argued.

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George Stinney, Exonerated 70 Years After Wrongful Murder Conviction As 14-Year-Old

As 2014 closes out and we enter a blank slate for the New Year, I had one major goal on my bucket list that I promised to check off — which was to begin the production phase of my music career. With that being said, I introduce a new project titled “GEMS, ” a new series that will feature gemstone-themed remixes where I will be readjusting the sonic aura of each song. My first remix is “Larimar,” a spacey flip of Beyoncé’s “7/11.” Larimar is a stone, specially for women that channels the goddess energy. It supports a state of confidence and self awareness, …

As 2014 closes out and we enter a blank slate for the New Year, I had one major goal on my bucket list that I promised to check off — which was to begin the production phase of my music career.

With that being said, I introduce a new project titled “GEMS, ” a new series that will feature gemstone-themed remixes where I will be readjusting the sonic aura of each song. My first remix is “Larimar,” a spacey flip of Beyoncé’s “7/11.”

Larimar is a stone, specially for women that channels the goddess energy. It supports a state of confidence and self awareness, and also provides the power of clear communication and emotional strength that allows one to speak from the heart. Being confident and comfortable in my skin, especially as a woman, is a message that is and will always be present in my art. Beyonce is always having fun while remaining an icon, artist, wife and mother. Now, I’m using the inspiration and taking the next step forward in revealing myself and true potential with original music material — all while still having fun with it.

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Link: 

Gems: Listen to My Debut Track ‘Larimar,’ Which Remixes Beyonce’s ‘7/11’

Although Lebron James is known as an NBA star, he’s been making a name for himself as an athlete for social consciousness, and he’s already impressed one influential figure: the president of the United States. As flagged by ABC News, President Barack Obama told People magazine he was pleased with black celebrities raising the discussion on race and police brutality in response to the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York. The Cleveland Cavalier was singled out by the president for wearing Garner’s final words, “I can’t breathe,” on a t-shirt during warm-ups before playing the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 9. “I think LeBron did the right thing,” Obama told People. “We forget the role that Muhammad…

Although Lebron James is known as an NBA star, he’s been making a name for himself as an athlete for social consciousness, and he’s already impressed one influential figure: the president of the United States.

As flagged by ABC News, President Barack Obama told People magazine he was pleased with black celebrities raising the discussion on race and police brutality in response to the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York.

The Cleveland Cavalier was singled out by the president for wearing Garner’s final words, “I can’t breathe,” on a t-shirt during warm-ups before playing the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 9.

“I think LeBron did the right thing,” Obama told People. “We forget the role that Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ashe, and Bill Russell played in raising consciousness. I’d like to see more athletes do that — not just around the issue, but around a range of issues.”

James has made headlines before for his stance against racism. In 2012, while playing for the Miami Heat, the basketball star got his teammates to wear hoodies and pose for a photo in tribute to Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old who was shot and killed in Florida while walking home from a convenience store.

Two years later, James made strong remarks against racist comments made by the now-former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling.

Obama was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama in the exclusive interview with People Magazine, where they discussed their experiences with racial discrimination. The first lady pointed out that Obama dealt with racial profiling first hand before moving into the White House.

“I think people forget that we’ve lived in the White House for six years,” Michelle Obama told the magazine. “Before that, Barack Obama was a black man that lived on the South Side of Chicago, who had his share of troubles catching cabs.”

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Obama Applauds LeBron James For Wearing ‘I Can’t Breathe’ T-Shirt