WASHINGTON - Famous New York chefs Mario Batali, David Chang, and Tom Colicchio, join the Human Rights Campaign - the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization - in three new videos in the "New Yorkers for Marriage Equality" campaign. In the videos the three chefs speak humorously, but from their hearts, of the importance of fairness and equality under the law. The latest videos come as the debate over marriage equality once again takes center stage in Albany and across the state. The campaign, which raises the public profile of marriage equality in the Empire State, can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/NY4marriage.

"We are closer than we've even been to achieving marriage equality in New York," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "We are excited to have three of New York's most famous chefs join our New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign."

Two recent New York polls show a majority of New Yorkers support marriage equality. A Siena Research Institute Poll earlier 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 Mario Batali, David Chang, and Tom Colicchio, Lucy Liu, Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the Fabulous Beekman Boys, 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.