LOS ANGELES - April 13 -  Prominent human rights activist Cleve Jones to join Rick Jacobs from the Courage Campaign and other community groups at Hyatt's Andaz Hotel

WHAT: Press conference announcing the expansion of the 'Hyatt Hypocrisy' campaign to West Hollywood's Andaz Hotel. Members of the coalition will participate in a delegation to management of the new Andaz West Hollywood presenting Hyatt management with demands regarding marriage equality.

WHEN: April 14, 2009

TIME: 12 noon

WHERE:
Andaz Hotel
8401 W. Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069

WHO:
Cleve Jones, historical consultant to the movie MILK
Rick Jacobs, Founder and Chair of The Courage Campaign
John Duran, West Hollywood City Councilman
John Cleary, President, Los Angeles Stonewall Democrats
Lisa Powell, Organizing with America
Tom Walsh, President, UNITE HERE Local 11

Background:
LGBT rights activists, workers, and labor leaders will join forces outside the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood to support the ongoing fight for marriage equality. The Andaz Hotel is owned and operated by the Hyatt Corporation, which also operates the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, owned by Doug Manchester. Manchester donated $125,000 to help put California's Proposition 8 on the ballot last November. The Manchester Grand Hyatt has been at the forefront of the battle over same-sex marriage since leaders of San Diego's LGBT community called a boycott of the hotel in July.

The coalition is not calling for a boycott of the Andaz Hotel, but pledges to hold the Andaz and its owner and operator, The Hyatt Corporation, accountable for their relationship to Manchester. With this press conference and delegation, labor and gay rights activists will expand the Hyatt Hypocrisy campaign, which is in full swing in San Diego, to Hyatt's Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood.