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Obama has said the star-studded annual event has been one of
his favorites during his time in office.
The White House released the list of honorees on Wednesday,
including a couple of people with ties to Obama. Freeman is
involved with the Obama Foundation, which is raising money for
Obama's presidential library in Chicago.
Celebrity chef Jose Andres, who will receive a humanities medal,
has worked with the White House on immigration reform issues.
Andres is being sued by Republican presidential candidate Donald
Trump for backing out of a deal to open a restaurant in his new
Washington hotel after Trump made disparaging comments about
Mexican immigrants.
Also among the 24 honorees: musicians Wynton Marsalis and
Santiago Jimenez; composer Philip Glass; actor Audra McDonald;
and authors Sandra Cisneros, Ron Chernow, Rudolfo Anaya, and
James McBride.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Andrew Hay)
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