The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced this week that the Grammy-Award-winning actress and native New Yorker Vanessa Williams has joined the dozens of high-profile celebrities, political figures and ordinary citizens taking a stand for marriage equality in New York.
Williams, who made a name for herself when she was crowned the first African-American Miss America and went on to become a music, film and television star, released a video through the HRC announcing her support for marriage equality. Brian Ellner, HRC’s Senior Strategist for the New York marriage equality campaign, said in a statement that “Vanessa Williams has been breaking down barriers for most of her life,” and that the organization is “grateful that she’s speaking out for our campaign.”
With campaign time drawing to a close and a legislative vote looming on the horizon, HRC and other marriage equality advocates have succeeded in garnering support from a majority of New Yorkers. According to the most recent polls, 58% of New Yorkers are in favor of same-sex marriage legislation.
