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Posts tagged as “Matt Barnes”

Matt Barnes Launches Scholarship Fund For Stephon Clark’s Sons

By goodblacknews on April 3, 2018
Matt Barnes (image via huffingtonpost.com)

by Jenna Amatulli via huffingtonpost.com
Ex-NBA player Matt Barnes announced that he will be launching a scholarship fund for Stephon Clark’s two sons to ensure that they can afford to go to college.
Barnes, whose lengthy basketball career included stints with the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, made an impassioned speech at a rally in Sacramento on Saturday while holding one of Clark’s children. He spoke about the fraught relationship between police officers and black America, and the need for reform.
“We fear what we don’t know. We don’t know these cops, so we fear them. They don’t know us, so they fear us,” Barnes said. “When you get out and know someone on a first-name basis, when you are called to the situation, next time you may be able to defuse the situation.”
Clark, 22, was killed on March 18 when Sacramento police officers shot him eight times in his grandparents’ backyard. The two officers, responding to reports of car break-ins in the neighborhood, said they believed Clark to be armed, though he was found with only his cellphone in hand.
Since Clark’s death, protests have roiled Sacramento and led to yet another uprising by a community imploring the government to do more in investigating deadly police shootings and prevent them.
Saturday’s march was organized by the Sacramento Black Lives Matter chapter. Barnes was involved in the rally because he heard of Clark’s death from one of his two 9-year-old sons. The child apparently asked his father if police were “bad” for what they did to Clark.

“I had to pause for a second because the emotion of me wanted to say yes, but at the same time cops aren’t bad, one cop doesn’t make every one bad,” Barnes said.

“But one black man doesn’t make everybody guilty. It’s more than color. It comes down to wrong and right.”
Barnes said of his sones, “I fear for them. I fear for the streets and now I’ve got to fear for the cops. How do we explain to our kids that because of the color of your skin people aren’t going to like you? That’s not fair, but that’s what we have to explain to our kids every day.”
He added: “This isn’t a Sacramento problem, this is a nationwide problem.”
Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/matt-barnes-launches-scholarship-fund-for-stephon-clarks-sons_us_5ac23676e4b0a47437ac86ea

Laila Ali and Antonio Brown Honored by Variety Magazine as Sports Personalities of the Year

By goodblacknews on July 13, 2015
Variety Names Laila Ali and Antonio
COURTESY OF LAILA ALI AND ANTONIO BROWN (via Variety.com)

Variety has named retired boxer Laila Ali and NFL player Antonio Brown the Sports Personalities of the Year as part of its inaugural Sports Entertainment Breakfast Presented by Mercedes-Benz.
The breakfast, which will be held July 14 at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles, celebrates the accomplishments of athletes in their respective sports and will include discussions with other prominent players including Chris Bosh, Willie McGinest and Matt Barnes about the next New All-Star Athlete.
Ali, who went undefeated in the ring, is being feted as the first female sports personality of the year. The award recognizes not only her accomplishments as a boxer but also as a TV host, CEO, mom, wife, advocate for children and author.
Brown, who plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, will receive the male sports personality of the year. He’s the first player in NFL history to record at least 1,000 receiving yards and at least 1,000 return yards in the same season. Brown made his acting debut in HBO’s new series “Ballers.”
The breakfast includes a panel on what athletes must do to become 2015’s the New All-Star Athlete. Ten-time NBA All-Star Bosh (Miami Heat), Hall of Famer McGinest (New England Patriots) and NBA star Barnes (Memphis Grizzlies) will discuss the changing role of athletes. From reality show competitions to social-media followings, athletes are taking a larger role in pop culture, and the New All-Star Athelete is meant to measure that.
The panel also includes sports executives Justin Castillo (CAA), Mark Ciardi (producer), Jon Weinbach (Mandalay Sports Media) and Eric Weinberger (NFL Network).
article by Reece Ristau via Variety.com

Snoop Dogg, Bobby Wagner, Matt Barnes and Others Declare #ImUnloading Against Gun Violence with 401K Divestment Movement (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on March 9, 2015
Snoop Dogg, Matt Barnes
Snoop Dogg, NFL Star Bobby Wagner, NBA Star Matt Barnes and singer/songwriter Jhene Aiko support gun industry  divestment in #ImUnloading PSA

In a partnership between Unload Your 401k and anti-gun violence campaign, No Guns Allowed, entertainment icon Snoop Dogg and tech leader Ron Conway are joining forces to call for divestment from the gun industry. Through the surprising union, they are using #ImUnloading in a new Public Service Announcement to turn their pledge into reality, joined by athletes Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks and Matt Barnes of the Los Angeles Clippers; actress/singer Margot Bingham; singer/songwriter/producer Aloe Blacc; singer/songwriter Jhené Aiko; and League Of Young Voters’ Executive Director, Dr. Rob Biko Baker.

Gun Violence is an epidemic, with 20 children every day admitted to hospitals with gunshot wounds.  In an effort to create change, Conway is calling on the C-Suite of tech companies to offer socially-responsible, “no guns allowed” investment options, and Snoop Dogg is enlisting the support of the entertainment industry and his fans to declare #ImUnloading in the name of those touched by the tragedy of gun violence.

“I’m unloading for my loved ones that I’ve lost,” Snoop Dogg said. “I’m going all in for gun-free investing.”

The PSA, from Campaign to Unload and States United to Prevent Gun Violence, is the second installment of support for Unload Your 401k, a program designed to raise awareness of divestment as a unique and powerful strategy to help make a meaningful change in preventing gun violence.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5K-Ti6tQzA&w=560&h=315]

“There is a straight line from gun industry investment, to gun industry profits, to funding of the NRA. Half the value of these companies comes from mutual funds and most of the ‘investors’ in these funds have no idea they are inadvertently part of the problem. Now they can be part of the solution,” said Jennifer Fiore, executive director of Campaign to Unload.

“Greedy gun corporations are benefitting from the pain in our community,” said Baker. “It’s important that we vote with our money.”

UnloadYour401k.com offers visitors an easy way to look-up their 401k retirement plan to see if it is supporting the gun industry and its lobbying group, the National Rifle Association.  Employees now have the tools available to get their money out of gun investments.

“It is long past time for government to act to reduce the epidemic of gun violence in America, but it is also long past time when we can believe that they will,” said Julia Wyman, executive director of States United. “Americans want change and thanks to our partners in this effort, more Americans will be aware of their economic power to take power into their own hands.”

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)