The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office, United for Human Rights, Youth for Human Rights International's Washington, DC chapter, and Art Impact International co-hosted a January art exhibit as part of the monthly First Friday: Art Walk Dupont Circle. The pop-up exhibit at the historic Fraser Mansion featured five artists and centered on the theme of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
At the beginning of the show, native Washingtonian Patrick S. Smith was awarded Artist of the Year 2025 by Youth for Human Rights International, Washington, DC, for his "outstanding participation and artistic excellence at Art Walk Dupont Circle, Church of Scientology National Affairs Office." The exhibit featured portraits of famous human rights activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as abstracts, assemblage art, and wax on glass.
The artists—Roslyn Cambridge, Carolyn Goodridge, Sante Johnson, Patrick Smith, and J. Thomas Wells—were on site to discuss their work and the human and civil rights themes that inspired them. Mr. Azhar Haq, Executive Director of Youth for Human Rights International's DC chapter, emphasized the significance of art in human rights advocacy, stating, "Art speaks where words can't fully communicate the same concepts. Art brings people of all different beliefs and cultures together to appreciate something beautiful."
In addition to the artwork, free educational materials on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights were available to attendees, courtesy of Youth for Human Rights International. The organization's mission is to provide human rights educational resources and activities that inform, assist, and unite individuals, educators, organizations, and governmental bodies in the dissemination and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at every level of society. These materials are available free at www.youthforhumanrights.org. More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/YHRDC.
Art Walk Dupont is a recurring cultural experience that brings free art exhibits to galleries, embassies, and cultural centers throughout the historic Dupont Circle neighborhood. United for Human Rights (UHR) is an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at local, regional, national, and international levels. Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI), the sister organization of UHR, was founded in 2001 to teach young people around the world about human rights, specifically the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, so they become advocates for tolerance and peace. YHRI has grown into a global movement of individuals, groups, and national and community leaders spreading the message of human rights and ways to implement and protect them.
