Camilo Silva is back globetrotting after earning his Master of Fine Arts in film at the School of Creative Arts (SoCA), where he spent two years crafting a documentary short that explores the issue of book banning and its impact on a small community’s library.

Silva returned to his home in California to resume work with an adventure-based travel company after spending the last two years working on his degree and thesis project.

“Windsor was a great surprise,” Silva said. “I feel lucky for the time I spent there, which was post-pandemic when things were just beginning to open. It was class, and I was very close with our professors. I had good communication with all of them and a lot of access to them.”

To get into the SoCA program, Silva needed to pitch a thesis idea. However, upon arrival, he decided to pivot and focus his film on a more localized story. Silva dove into research, searching for a strong foundation for his narrative. This led him to investigate the rising trend of book banning across the United States — particularly a story in Michigan.

According to local media reports, the Patmos Library in Hudsonville, Mich., garnered national attention when voters defunded it twice due to the inclusion of LGBTQ+-themed books — a first in U.S. history, Silva said. The defunding votes led to heated public meetings, widespread media coverage, and significant community division.

“That struck a chord with me,” he explained. “I was pretty shocked that a community was willing to sacrifice an institution, something that’s kind of like the centre of most communities.”

Silva emphasized that libraries play a critical role beyond being book repositories. They provide spaces for seniors and veterans, free Wi-Fi access, and essential community services.

“The community essentially said, ‘We don’t like these three books in your library, so we’re going to pull all your funding and force you to shut down unless you comply with our demands.’ Holding the library hostage like that was pretty shocking, but it also made me think, ‘This would make a perfect documentary.’”

Entitled The Canary, his film focuses on the efforts of a librarian in the community, who is also the mother of a trans child.

“It follows the internal conflict of a mother trying to reconcile her responsibilities to her child with her job as a library worker and librarian while dealing with a community that opposes her efforts,” Silva explained. “There are so many angles to this story that I found it incredibly compelling and beautiful. She’s so kind, which inspired me to make a documentary short about her life and her struggle with this community, fighting to keep their library open.”

Silva is finalizing the film, sharing it with friends, and preparing submissions to several festivals.

“Every time I show it to people, it sparks a conversation,” he said. “They want to discuss it more and more. The beautiful thing about all kinds of artwork is you start with an idea in your head, and then when you see it come alive, it is so rewarding. I think this is a beautiful story and is something that I can continue with and has another life outside of school.”

To learn more about Silva and his work, visit camilosilva.com.

Watch a trailer for The Canary:

An honour roll cord he received at Convocation is particular meaningful because it reflects the support of family, friends, and mentors, says Gurbhej Singh, who celebrated in June graduating from the Master of Engineering program.

“It serves as a reminder of the value of perseverance and inspires me to continue pursuing excellence in all my endeavours,” Singh said. “I would also like to extend my gratitude to the University of Windsor for providing such an enriching environment that has enabled me to achieve this milestone.”

The new award was extended to graduating MEng candidates with a minimum 85 per cent grade point average and no final grade below 70 per cent. A total of 309 honour roll grads in the program crossed the stage June 5 and 6.

Niousha Bahadori said the achievement means more than just academic success.

“It represents the countless hours of studying, the support of my professors and peers, and the realization of my goals in materials engineering,” she said. “It’s a testament to hard work and dedication paying off, and I’m excited about the opportunities it opens up for my future.”

Peter Frise, associate dean of engineering for professional programs, said the faculty looks forward to carrying on this new tradition.

“We are delighted and very proud of the scholastic achievements of these excellent MEng graduates,” said Dr. Frise. “They will carry forward the reputation of the University of Windsor Faculty of Engineering as they continue their professional careers.”

Organizers of third edition of the Campus Community Cookbook are seeking submissions of recipes for the project.

The books will be printed and sold in September with proceeds supporting financial aid opportunities for Indigenous students.

“We recognize that we are a diverse campus, and we want to showcase that through food,” says Alicia Charlebois, student engagement assistant in the Turtle Island Aboriginal Education Centre. “We are calling out to all UWindsor students, alumni, staff, faculty, and community partners to submit a recipe your family is known for: it doesn’t have to be Indigenous.”

Submissions should include a list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions, as well as a brief description of its origins, and — optional but appreciated — a photo of the completed dish.

Click here to complete the submission form no later than Aug. 1.

Master of Management student Tanha Rizvan won Wednesday’s DailyNews trivia contest and its prize: a copy of On Comics and Grief by English professor Dale Jacobs.

Rizvan’s entry was drawn from all those which correctly identified Casper as the friendly ghost, Spider-Man as the web-slinger, and Archie as the love interest of Betty and Veronica.

Published by Wilfrid Laurier University Press, On Comics and Grief connects grief, memory, nostalgia, personal history, theory, and multiple lines of comics studies inquiry in relation to the comic books of 1976 — the year the author turned 10.

Job proposals for the fall 2024 and winter 2025 Ignite work-study program are due on Monday, July 8, via Qualtrics survey. Late applications will not be accepted.

Note: there will not be an additional winter call for proposals. Employers interested in hiring students exclusively for the winter 2025 semester must apply by the July deadline.

Program details:

• Supervisors approved for funding will be reimbursed up to $1,000 for a single-term position. Fall-winter positions will be reimbursed for up to $2,000.
• Students currently working in the summer 2024 semester may remain in the same role if they continue to meet eligibility requirements.
• Employers must submit a job proposal and be approved if they intend to extend a student’s position into the fall and winter term. If approved, a new authorization must be submitted.

For more information, visit the Ignite website. Direct questions to ignite@uwindsor.ca.

The University has declared a 2003 Dodge pickup truck for sale by bid as Disposal File 2075.

The 4x4 Laramie 1500 has an odometer reading of 273,875 km and requires repairs to its suspension and transmission.

Click here for more photos and details on submitting bids.