Human Rights

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Honoring the 2025 Human Rights Award Recipients

Traditionally, the Prince William County Human Rights Commission celebrates this day by recognizing persons and/or organizations that by their actions express and promote the principles of Human Rights. This year, we are recognizing the following four individuals and two group awards:

Michael Artson

As the current Chair of the Prince William NAACP ACT-SO
program, Michael Artson leads a year-long enrichment initiative designed to stimulate high achievement among high school students in 33 categories across STEM, humanities, business and the arts. His responsibilities are substantial, including recruiting mentors and judges, securing resources (raising $14,000 this year alone), and ensuring equitable access to high-level development,
enabling students to compete at the national level.

Riley Devereaux

Riley Devereaux is a senior at Battlefield High School, where she is an honor roll student in the Gifted Program. Since fifth grade, Riley has been a leader at Boxes of Basics, now serving as Teen Board President, where she has addressed clothing insecurity for hundreds of families. Her global engagement includes being a United Nations Youth Delegate and a Carnegie Young Leaders Fellow, advocating for climate action and civic inclusion. She is also a World Literacy Foundation Ambassador, organizing inclusive book drives for homeless shelters and advocating for equitable access to education. Her work embodies equity in action.

Martin Nohe

Marty Nohe is Prince William County’s distinguished advocate for human rights and social justice, whose dedication spans many years. During his tenure as Prince William County’s Coles District Supervisor, Marty worked tirelessly to bridge political differences and promote unity within the community, playing a constructive role in navigating complex immigration issues and encouraging thoughtful dialogue and approaches that emphasized unity and a stronger community.

Chaplain Raymond Perez

Chaplain Raymond Perez is the Good News Global chaplain assigned to serve the Prince William Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center, where he has provided dedicated service since January 2006. Committed to supporting the most underserved members of our community, he offers consistent, barrier-free guidance and support without judgment or stigma. Whether individuals need assistance with housing, crisis intervention, food resources, employment, or simply a compassionate ear or prayer, he responds immediately and unconditionally—regardless of their religion, background, or circumstances.

Project Mend-A-House

Project Mend-A-House (PMAH), founded in 1984, is a longstanding nonprofit organization dedicated to providing essential home safety repairs and accessibility modifications for seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities across Prince William County and Northern Virginia. Their work promotes equality and community empowerment by restoring heat, installing wheelchair ramps and addressing unsafe housing conditions. These services help prevent homelessness, reduce institutionalization, and uphold housing as a fundamental human right for some of the region’s most vulnerable residents.

Woodbridge Workers Committee

Nancy Lyall and the Woodbridge Workers Committee (WWC)
exemplify the core values of the Human Rights Award through more than 20 years of dedicated advocacy, community empowerment and preservation of human dignity. Recognizing the profound inequities faced by low-income and immigrant families along the Route 1 corridor, Nancy helped establish WWC as a strong, community-led movement grounded in democratic decision-making, solidarity and cross-cultural unity. Under her leadership, WWC has consistently identified pressing community needs and developed innovative, compassionate solutions that uplift individuals and strengthen neighborhoods.

Build Strong, Resilient, and Inclusive Communities

Annually, the Human Rights Commission awards candidates from all over the county to honor their outstanding contributions to promoting equality for all people in Prince William County. This is demonstrated by a candidate’s leadership and excellence in any field, in either a paid or unpaid capacity, whose effectiveness and courage have advanced the cause of equality for all people of all ages.

Nominees should be those who have fought for and encouraged equality in significant and substantial ways that have enriched our community. We look forward to receiving nominations from all communities and people in Prince William County.

Reasons for Nomination:

They may have identified needs for change and found innovative solutions in sectors relating to all people; lobbied for groups and services; initiated public education and information activities; or through their lives, they’ve made outstanding and creative achievements or otherwise advanced equality for all people.

Candidates Being Nominated:

• Must be a Prince William County Resident
• May be submitted for consideration as individuals, schools, community groups, business groups, a youth from the community, etc.

Universal Human Rights Day Flyer 2025

Universal Human Rights Day Flyer 2024