Standing before nearly one million people as a keynote speaker at the Millennium March On Washington, Martina Navratilova triumphantly announced that over $1 million had been raised for lesbian and gay causes via her VISA Rainbow Card. According to Navratilova, "The timing of this milestone was particularly significant, because the inspiration for the Rainbow Card came from the incredible strength and unity so many shared at the 1993 March On Washington. That experience," continued Navratilova, "prompted my friends and me to achieve something philanthropic for our community."

In her compelling March On Washington speech, Navratilova encouraged members of the community to be visible and to remain active, "If we don't keep the movement moving, who will?" she asked the crowd at this historic event. As for Navratilova, "I will continue to dedicate my efforts to the ongoing success of the Rainbow Card program. This is my passion, my number one cause."

Millennium March On Washington speech Copyright 2002 by Martina Navratilova. All rights reserved.

"I AM TRULY HAPPY TO SPEAK TO YOU IN THE "FAMILY" PORTION OF TODAY'S PROGRAM. BECAUSE MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AS A TENNIS CHAMPION (SOME OF YOU NOW REFER TO ME AS THE 'SUBARU' WOMAN) AND AS AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR CAUSE! BUT RELATIVELY FEW KNOW ME AS A FAMILY PERSON. I AM A DAUGHTER, A SISTER, A PROUD AUNT — AND I SHARE MY LIFE WITH A CLOSE KNIT GROUP OF "CHOSEN FAMILY" .

MY YOUNGEST FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS HERE TODAY — IS TWO YEARS OLD — AND SHE HAS TWO MOMS. AS EVIDENT IN THE RECENT VERMONT HOUSE VOTE SHE, AS WELL AS CHILDREN LIKE HER, SYMBOLIZE A NEED FOR BASIC LEGAL RIGHTS AND EQUAL PROTECTION.

WHEN I LOOK BACK ON MY OWN CHILDHOOD, I LEFT WHAT WAS THEN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, SO THAT I WOULD BE FREE TO PLAY TENNIS THE WAY I WANTED TO PLAY.

IN RETROSPECT, I LEFT CZECHOSLOVAKIA SO THAT I COULD BE FREE, TO LIVE MY LIFE AS A GAY WOMEN....OR SO I THOUGHT, FOR IT DID NOT DAWN ON ME BACK THEN, THAT FREEDOM, FAIRNESS,AND THE MOST BASIC OF EQUAL RIGHTS ARE GRANTED TO, AND LEGALLY PROTECT, HETEROSEXUALS ONLY !

AND UNTIL THAT CHANGES, OUR WORK FOR EQUALITY AND FOR FAIRNESS IS FAR FROM OVER. I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE KEY TO HAVING FULL INCLUSION, AND THE EXACT SAME LEGAL RIGHTS THAT ALL OTHERS HAVE, IS TO COME OUT — AND LIVE YOUR LIFE EVERY DAY— IN EVERY WAY, OUT OF THE CLOSET!

I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT ONE DAY SOON WE WILL BE SEEN AND TREATED AS EQUALS, BUT UNTIL THAT DAY IS HERE, WE MUST REMAIN VISIBLE.

I REALIZE IT'S NOT SAFE IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TO WALK DOWN THE STREET HOLDING HANDS WITH YOUR LOVER.

HOPEFULLY WE ALL DO OUR PARTS FOR DIFFERENT CAUSES — BE IT THE ENVIRONMENT, ANIMAL RIGHTS, HEALTH CARE ISSUES — WHATEVER .

BUT WE ALL , (FOR THE MOST PART) HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON, WE'RE GAY - OR - LESBIAN — AND WE MUST ALL DO OUR SHARE.

WE CAN PUSH THAT ENVELOPE A LITTLE FURTHER.—-"HOW" YOU ASK ? WELL, I SPENT MUCH OF THE WEEKEND HERE IN D.C. ASKING MANY OF YOU WHAT YOU DO BACK HOME AND HERE ARE A FEW SAMPLES:

- CHAD, A DOCTOR FROM ARIZONA - VOLUNTEERS HIS TIME TO AIDS PATIENTS

- SUE FROM DELAWARE - ENCOURAGED HER PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT TO INITIATE DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS

- BRUCE FROM MICHIGAN - PARTICIPATES IN THE ALASKA AIDS RIDE

- NEIL FROM IOWA - WRITES LETTERS TO CONGRESS

- THEA & SHLOMIT FROM RHODE ISLAND : LIVE THEIR LIVES AS "OUT" LESBIAN MOMS HOPING TO SERVE AS ROLE MODELS TO OTHERS.

HERE IS MY IDEA OF WHAT EACH ONE OF US CAN DO: TAKE ONE DAY — JUST ONE DAY OUT OF THE YEAR AND GO HOME AND MEET WITH YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER (NOT THE PHYS ED TEACHER!); MEET WITH YOUR MAYOR; MEET WITH YOUR MINISTER — MEET WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR — AND TALK TO THEM — JUST TALK TO THEM AND TELL THEM WE NEED TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFE FOR ALL CHILDREN; HOW WE NEED EQUAL LEGAL PROTECTION FOR ALL FAMILIES: AND HOW WE NEED INCLUSION IN ALL HOUSES OF WORSHIP— IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD — IN EVERY TOWN — IN EVERY STATE — IN EVERY PART OF OUR COUNTRY.

THE LAST LAST TIME I SPOKE TO YOU FROM THIS STAGE WAS AT THE MARCH IN '93. THAT WEEKEND WAS A LIFE-AFFIRMING EXPERIENCE FOR ME — SO MUCH IN FACT THAT IT INSPIRED ME AND TWO OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR COMMUNITY — OUT OF THAT CAME THE VISA RAINBOW CARD — WHICH HAS NOW RAISED WELL OVER $1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR LESBIAN & GAY CAUSES!

THIS WEEKEND, I'M CERTAIN WILL INSPIRE US AGAIN TO DO SOMETHING MORE.— AND SO I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE YOU TO DO SOMETHING AS WELL! IF YOU WANT TO, I KNOW YOU'LL FIND A WAY.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING..... I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST — PEACE, HEALTH & HAPPINESS!"