For Carleton University graduate Artur Estrela da Silva, advocacy work is a privilege.
His passion for community service has been part of his life since his early years in Porto Alegre, Brazil, he said. He knew it was up to him to tackle the injustices he saw around him, coordinating campaigns and youth advocacy efforts on issues like road safety in Brazil and beyond.
That attitude followed him to Carleton, where Estrela da Silva studied political science and served as the 2024-2025 vice-president (student issues) of the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA).
Estrela da Silva is this year’s recipient of the university’s Board of Governors’ Award for Outstanding Community Achievement, honouring non-academic student volunteerism and community contributions.
The Charlatan spoke with Estrela da Silva to learn more about his advocacy work at Carleton and what it means to be a community leader.
The Charlatan (TC): What led you to CUSA?
Artur Estrela da Silva (AE): I always felt a sense of disconnect between CUSA and the student community.
Mohamed Faris, who was the 2023-2024 president, started the associate vice-presidents program at the organization. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get involved. I was always very passionate about advocacy work, and I had experience I thought would be relevant and could help the organization.
TC: As CUSA’s vice-president (student issues), you led projects like the International Student Welcome Guide and the Housing 101 Guide. What drew you to these projects?
AE: As an international student myself, I always understood there were many things we come into the country having no knowledge of that the university hasn’t necessarily addressed.
I saw a gap in access to information and thought we could do meaningful work here.
The International Student Welcome Guide outlines all the information we deemed essential for international students to know when they’re coming into Canada. It covers social aspects of the city and of the university, and some immigration pieces we gathered with the advice of the International Student Services Office.
We also knew that a big area of concern for students was housing, which is often a place where students are in a vulnerable position. There have been many instances where students don’t know what their rights and responsibilities are. As soon as we assembled the Think Tank team, we started working on the Housing 101 Guide.
TC: Tell me more about the CUSA Think Tank.
AE: I knew just how many people wanted to get involved with CUSA and thought it was the perfect way to bridge gaps with the student community. We created this volunteer team of researchers that helped us write the Housing 101 Guide. They also wrote a mental health research catalog that will be published very soon.
TC: What challenges have you faced thus far in your journey as a community leader?
AE: When you’re working with advocacy, you often need to find ways to pivot your plans. What you’re doing is bringing forward asks, and when you’re doing work of that nature, you’ll hear a lot of “no’s.” You have to know what questions to ask and find ways to meet people in the middle. It was a challenge, but it’s very meaningful and valuable to learn how to navigate these situations.
TC: Why does community engagement matter right now?
AE: I believe compassion in a world that is becoming so increasingly divided is not only a virtue, but a necessity. The world is becoming more and more polarized, politically, but also socially. I think having compassion for the person next to you and finding ways to help each other is the most meaningful thing one can do nowadays.
TC: What does it mean to you to be this year’s recipient of the Board of Governors’ Award for Outstanding Community Achievement?
AE: I’m extremely grateful to receive this award, and I hope it’s reflective of meaningful work to the student community. That’s all that matters to me. To be completely honest, Carleton asked me about “legacy” a couple weeks ago, but I don’t really think about that too much. I just hope the good things we were able to create as a team continue on.
TC: What would you say to other students who are looking for ways to involve themselves in the community?
AE: Don’t be afraid to reach out. More often than not, people are willing to talk and listen. When you see an opportunity that strikes you as interesting, pursue it. If you’re interested in something, look to people for guidance. There’s much more good in the world than we expect.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Featured image provided by Artur Estrela da Silva
