Washington - Hip-hop pioneer and New Yorker Russell Simmons joins the Human Rights Campaign - the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization - in a new video in the "New Yorkers for Marriage Equality" campaign. In the video, the co-founder of Def Jam Records and head of Rush Communications says, "Make your voice heard. Stand up now for marriage equality." The campaign, which raises the public profile of marriage equality in the Empire State, can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

HRC also announced the launch of the ads on Taxi TV, which will feature the videos in taxicabs in New York City that until today were only available online. The initial ad buy will run for two weeks from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. beginning tomorrow and reach an estimated 1.5 million New Yorkers. Additional advertising is anticipated.

"As public opinion continues to shift in favor of marriage equality across the country and particularly in New York, we are honored to have Russell Simmons lend his voice to the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "The people, governor, and an increasing number of lawmakers in New York support marriage equality. We are thrilled to expand the reach of our message that families and communities in the Empire state will be stronger when the law recognizes and respects the love and commitment of same-sex couples."

Two recent New York polls show a majority of New Yorkers support marriage equality. A Siena Research Institute Poll earlier last month found 57 percent of New Yorkers support marriage for same-sex couples and another recent poll by Quinnipiac University had support at 56 percent.

The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign is centered on video testimonials from New Yorkers who support the right of same-sex couples to marry. To date, HRC has released videos from 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, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Julianne Moore and Kenneth Cole - with more to follow in the coming weeks and months.

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.