WASHINGTON - Ethan and Ryan Hawke join 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. The video comes just days after a highly-publicized strategy meeting between Governor Andrew Cuomo and top marriage equality advocates in Albany. The campaign, which raises the public profile of marriage equality in the Empire State, can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

"Ethan and Ryan Hawke join the 'New Yorkers for Marriage Equality Campaign' at a pivotal time in the fight for equal rights," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "Their message of fairness and equality resonate with the people of New York, a governor committed to signing marriage equality into law, and an increasing number of lawmakers in New York support marriage equality."

"Last week our meeting in Albany with Governor Cuomo reminded us why it's important that New York lead again on equality for all, and today we're honored to release a new video from Ethan and Ryan Hawke urging people to contact their state representatives and ask them to support marriage equality now so that this can be the year we allow all loving and committed couples the same dignity and responsibility," said HRC strategist Brian Ellner.

Two recent New York polls show a strong 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 Ethan and Ryan Hawke, 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.

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.