Patrick S. Smith, a native Washingtonian, was named Artist of the Year 2025 by Youth for Human Rights International, Washington, DC, during a January art exhibit co-hosted by the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office, United for Human Rights, Youth for Human Rights International's DC chapter, and Art Impact International. The award recognized Smith's "outstanding participation and artistic excellence at Art Walk Dupont Circle, Church of Scientology National Affairs Office."
The pop-up exhibit, held at the historic Fraser Mansion, was part of the monthly First Friday: Art Walk Dupont Circle, where attendees walk between numerous galleries and organizations featuring art. The show featured five artists—Roslyn Cambridge, Carolyn Goodridge, Sante Johnson, Patrick Smith, and J. Thomas Wells—who displayed works including portraits of famous human rights activists, abstracts, assemblage art, and wax on glass. A large portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a centerpiece, with all artists focusing on the theme of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Mr. Azhar Haq, Executive Director of Youth for Human Rights International's DC chapter, emphasized the significance of art in human rights advocacy. "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," Haq said.
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, whose 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 also 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 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 spreading the message of what human rights are and ways to implement and protect them.
