Martina was invited to accept the 2000 National Equality Award at Human Rights Campaign annual national dinner in Washington D.C. Following is her acceptance speech:

"I AM TRULY HONORED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT AND TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, AS THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL EQUALITY AWARD RECIPIENT.

LISTENING TO THE POWERFUL MESSAGES WE HAVE HEARD THIS EVENING, I REALIZE THAT, WHILE WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES AS A COMMUNITY, OUR WORK FOR EQUALITY — FOR SAFETY — FOR FAIRNESS — IS FAR FROM OVER. IN MY OPINION, OUR EFFORTS START AND END WITH ONE SIMPLE MESSAGE: COME OUT...BE OUT... LIVE YOUR EVERY DAY LIFE OUT. AT HOME AND AT WORK; WITH FRIENDS AND WITH FAMILY; IN SCHOOL & IN CAR POOL...BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE.

WHEN THE EYES OF IGNORANCE CAN ACTUALLY PUT A NAME AND A FACE TO A FRIEND....A SISTER....A BROTHER.....A COUSIN....A MOM OR DAD — TO A NEIGHBOR....A LAWYER.....A TEACHER OR A PREACHER ..... TO THEIR PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF GAY.....THEN THERE IS LESS FEAR, LESS ANGER, LESS HATE, AND HOPEFULLY, LESS VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL OF US AND OUR OPENLY SUPPORTIVE FAMILIES.

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, "NOW THAT I'VE COME OUT, WHAT MORE CAN I DO"? MY ANSWER TO THAT WOULD BE: "ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME OUT," AND TO BE ACTIVE, SUPPORTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IN TURN, HELPS CONTRIBUTE TO POSITIVE CHANGE, AND ULTIMATELY TO FAIR AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US ALL.

GOING FORWARD, WE CAN NOT AFFORD TO BE ANYTHING BUT DEDICATED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE,

IF WE DON'T PUSH FOR DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS AT WORK....THEN WHO WILL? IF WE DON'T LOBBY FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RIGHTS.........WHO WILL? IF WE DON'T INSIST ON HATE CRIME LEGISLATION.....WHO WILL? IF WE DON'T DEMAND MILITARY RIGHTS......WHO WILL? IF WE DON'T INSIST ON POSITIVE VISIBILITY IN ADVERTISING AND MAINSTREAM MEDIA......WHO WILL? IF WE DON'T DEMAND THAT OUR NATION'S SCHOOLS STOP TOLERATING VERBAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE AIMED AT GAY/LESBIAN YOUTH ...... THEN WHO WILL? AND, IF WE DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUND RAISING EFFORTS THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT BY GAYS & LESBIANS, THEN AGAIN, I ASK..............WHO WILL?

AS FOR ME, I WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION OUR CAUSES.....TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE HEARD, AND TO USE MY POSITION TO GET IN THE DOORS OF THE CORPORATE WORLD TO ADVANCE OUR COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS.

I WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE MAINSTREAM COMPANIES TO MARKET MORE DIRECTLY TO THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY, WHICH RESULTS IN CONSUMER LOYALTY, INCREASED REVENUE, AND SIMPLY MAKES — DAMN GOOD SENSE!

WITHIN THE CORPORATE WORLD, I AM MOST PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR EFFORTS THUS FAR HAVE LED TO THE CREATION AND SUCCESS OF THE RAINBOW CARD PROGRAM; A VISA CREDIT CARD THAT PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE LESBIAN AND GAY COMMUNITY.

OUR CARDHOLDERS MAY CHOOSE TO SHOP — DINE OUT — OR EVEN PURCHASE THEIR HRC NATIONAL DINNER TICKETS WITH A CREDIT CARD THAT SUPPORTS WHO THEY ARE & WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. THROUGH OUR EFFORTS WITH THE RAINBOW CARD PROGRAM, WE HAVE ALSO HELPED TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE CORPORATE WORLD . AND OUR PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS FOR LESBIANS & GAYS.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS —— THE RAINBOW ENDOWMENT, WHICH IS THE PHILANTHROPIC ARM OF OUR PROGRAM, HAS NOW CONTRIBUTED OVER $600,000 TO 23 ORGANIZATIONS SERVING THE GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY!!

IT WAS BY NO COINCIDENCE THAT WE LAUNCHED THE RAINBOW CARD ON NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY, IN OCTOBER OF 1995. THERE WAS A POWERFUL MESSAGE THERE — WE CAN NOT INITIATE SOCIAL CHANGE WHILE HIDING IN THE CLOSET!

HOW CAN WE VISION OUR FUTURE — WHEN WE ARE NOT VISIBLE OURSELVES? WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY EXPECT TO ACHIEVE IN HIDING? WE HAVE NO VOICE BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR!

WHEN I CAME OUT YEARS AGO, AT THE HEIGHT OF MY CAREER, THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY TO RISK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CORPORATE ENDORSEMENTS..

WELL, WE REALLY HAVE COME A LONG WAY BABY...

I'M NOT ONLY PROUD TO ACCEPT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN'S NATIONAL EQUALITY AWARD, BUT I'M ALSO PROUD TO BE ACCOMPANIED AND OPENLY SUPPORTED HERE TONIGHT BY MY CORPORATE PARTNERS & FRIENDS, ESPECIALLY SUBARU of AMERICA.

THANKS AGAIN TO HRC AND TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I'LL SEE YOU AT THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON IN APRIL!"