Washington - Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization - released a video featuring a 25-year volunteer firefighter, Mike Vissichelli of Long Island, speaking out in favor of marriage equality. In the video, Vissichelli says, "Loving gay and lesbian couples should be able to go down to city hall and get a marriage license. Nothing says family like marriage." The video, part of HRC's New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign, can be viewed at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

"Mike Vissichelli has dedicated his life to protecting New Yorkers," said HRC Senior New York Strategist, Brian Ellner. "We appreciate his selfless service to the community and his commitment to marriage equality."

Vissichelli is the president of FireFLAG, an advocacy group for gay and lesbian firefighters and rescue workers. A recent poll by New York-based Siena Research Institute shows a strong majority (58 percent) of New Yorkers support marriage equality. This support runs deep, including all age groups and demographics, including a virtual tie among Republicans and a significant plurality of Independent voters.

The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign is centered on video testimonials from New Yorkers who support the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry. To date, HRC has released videos from Vanessa Williams, Tom DiNapoli, NBA star Steve Nash, New York Rangers' Sean Avery, Miss New York, Anna Wintour, Larry King, Julianna Margulies, Bill T. Jones, Sam Waterston, Christopher Meloni, Mario Batali, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Lucy Liu, Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Former New York City Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, Russell Simmons, Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo, John Slattery, Joan Rivers, Barbara Bush, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Fran Drescher, Moby, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Julianne Moore and Kenneth Cole - with more to follow in the coming weeks.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.