Washington - Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization - released a video featuring everyday New Yorkers speaking out in favor of marriage equality for its New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign. In the video, folks on the street give passionate reasons why they support marriage equality in New York. The video can be viewed at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

"New Yorkers are all about fairness and equality," said HRC Senior New York Strategist, Brian Ellner. "A strong majority of New Yorkers support full marriage equality. With a vote approaching quickly, it's important for everyone in New York to speak out and let their voices be heard. New Yorkers should contact their state senators and urge them to support equality. Now is the time."

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.