Celebrities pay their respects at George Floyd's Houston funeral

When George Floyd was laid to rest in Houston on Tuesday, numerous entertainers, athletes, and activists attended the funeral to pay their respects.

Actors Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum and NFL players J.J. Watt and D.J. Reader were among those seen in the congregation at Fountain of Praise church. The Rev. Al Sharpton presided over the service, while Ne-Yo delivered an emotional take on Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" during the memorial.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes in an encounter caught on video. The officer has been charged with murder and manslaughter. Floyd's killing, as well as other recent deaths in the black community, has sparked global protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

Former NBA star Stephen Jackson, who was a close friend of Floyd, was also in attendance and seen sitting with Floyd's 6-year-old daughter, Gianna. Musician Al B. Sure was present as well.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who met with Floyd's family Monday, was unable to attend but recorded a video message for the service. Also present was the family of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed black man who was fatally shot while jogging in Georgia earlier this year.

Floyd will be buried just outside of Houston in Pearland, Tex., next to his mother's grave.

To help combat systemic racism, please consider donating to these organizations:

• Campaign Zero, which is dedicated to ending police brutality in America through research-based strategies.
• Color of Change, which works to move decision makers in corporations and government to be more responsive to racial disparities.
• Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal services to people who have been wrongly convicted, denied a fair trial, or abused in state jails and prisons.

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