New Yorkers United for Marriage

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

05/16/11
Contact: Stefan Friedman, 646-241-7786

Statement from New Yorkers United for Marriage Regarding the Support of New York
Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay

The following statement is from Ross Levi, Executive Director of the Empire State Pride
Agenda:
"Having the vocal backing of Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay represents an
enormous boost for passage of marriage equality in New York State.  Support for marriage spans
all demographics and political affiliations, including a significant plurality among independent
voters. We call on the New York Legislature to heed the majority of New Yorkers and support
the freedom for all loving, committed couples to marry."

New Yorkers United for Marriage is a coalition of leading New York gay rights organizations
fighting to achieve marriage equality in New York State so that all couples have the freedom to
marry the person they love.
The Empire State Pride Agenda is New York's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy
group. Our mission is to win equality and justice for LGBT New Yorkers and our families. We work toward creating a broadly diverse alliance to
achieve equality for LGBT New Yorkers and the broader goals of social, racial and economic justice.
Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom
to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and
organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment
that marriage brings.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, 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.
Log Cabin Republicans is the nation’s only organization of Republicans who support fairness, freedom and equality for gay and lesbian
Americans. Log Cabin has state and local chapters nationwide, a full-time office in Washington, D.C., a federal political action committee and
state political action committees.
Marriage Equality New York (MENY) is a grassroots, volunteer based, single-issue organization dedicated to securing the right
for all New Yorkers to enter into legally recognized civil marriages. With local chapters throughout New York State, MENY is leading the fight
for equality, helping educate local and state politicians and candidates to support equal marriage rights legislation.