鈥淢y academic and professional career has been marked by a deep commitment to social justice in education,鈥 explains Professor Soares.
鈥淚n Brazil, my studies and work in business administration and community organizations led me to question how the world operates and to raise awareness about social inequalities. This reflection inspired me to pursue research in sociology and education to better understand society and contribute to positive social change鈥 she adds.
Global South meets Global North
Soares recounts how navigating life in a new country came with its share of uncomfortable and even troubling moments. She often wondered if it was the language or cultural differences.
鈥淲hen I left Brazil and arrived in Canada, I discovered I was an immigrant,鈥 she says.
鈥淚t seems that when I got on the plane, I changed colour. In Brazil, I鈥檓 white, here I鈥檓 not. I honestly didn鈥檛 know what it was like to be from what we call the Global South.鈥
鈥淲hen I immigrated to Canada, I was confronted with the same challenges faced by other newcomers, particularly those who do not speak the host language and are from the Global South,鈥 she adds. 鈥淢y interest in these issues led me to study the experience of racialized minority immigrant youth learning the language of schooling.鈥
Immigration challenges for older teens
Many countries offer education programs to help immigrants settle into new host societies and cultures; in Canada 鈥渨elcoming鈥 services in schools often include language supports. Soares鈥 current research focuses on the experience of adolescent newcomers enrolled in these programs, who are adjusting to life in a new country as well as learning an additional language.
Why study the experiences of 16- and 17-year-olds?
鈥淭he older kids are, the harder it is for them to adapt,鈥 says Soares. 鈥淪tudents in this age group have unique challenges because they don鈥檛 always have time to transition from welcoming classes to mainstream classes and finish their secondary studies before being directed to adult education or even special education,鈥 she adds. This situation鈥攈appening during a critical period of social development in their lives鈥攁dds complexity for newcomers on the cusp of adulthood.
Building upon research conducted during her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Ottawa, Soares will explore the experiences of immigrant teens in different linguistic contexts, such as in Quebec where French is the majority language, and in minority language contexts in Francophone Ontario. Findings from her comparative studies across different educational settings could inform decision-making, identify best practices and improve program development.
Applying a sociological perspective to these issues brings opportunity for reflection on how theory can be used to improve practice, Soares notes. She approaches her research and pedagogy in education from a critical standpoint to better understand equity, diversity, inclusion, social justice and decolonization鈥攊n relation to different social categories such as immigration, language and race.
She hopes her immigrant story inspires other newcomers to recognize their own contributions to Canadian society. 鈥淚 bring what I am to this new space. I was not born here, not speaking English nor French perfectly, and not fully knowing the culture,鈥 she says. 鈥淵et, even while I am learning these things, I can still offer a lot as an immigrant.鈥
鈥淚 look forward to collaborating with various actors in the education sector to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion by questioning these notions and continuing to work towards true social justice.鈥
Roberta Soares
鈥 Assistant professor, Faculty of Education
Discussing EDI in 2025
It鈥檚 a complicated time to be talking about EDI. Between the moment Soares applied for the faculty position and today, these conversations have become fraught, particularly for scholars south of our border. In this era of banned terminology and research funding proposals rejected over so-called 'controversial' vocabulary, Soares asks: 鈥淚t seems like a new situation, but is it really? The terms are always changing, but the need behind the words remains.鈥
鈥淭he courses I will be teaching have EDI, inclusive education and anti-racism in their titles. My job is to have these conversations with students and conduct research about the issues arising from these topics. The inequities remain, that鈥檚 the problem,鈥 Soares explains.
鈥淚 think it is important to take a critical stance, even in moments like this one. At the same time, we must be strategic, because we need to be here in ten years so we can continue the work.鈥
"I am excited for this new role as a professor in the Faculty of Education. I look forward to collaborating with various actors in the education sector to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion by questioning these notions and continuing to work towards true social justice," she adds.
A word of welcome
"It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to Professor Roberta de Oliveira Soares to the Faculty. Her expertise in the field of equity, diversity, and inclusion comes at a time when these considerations are more than ever at the heart of our concerns and intellectual discourse," says Francis Bangou, Dean of the Faculty of Education.
"Drawing upon substantial personal experience and a significant academic background in this area, her contribution will undoubtedly enrich the conversations pertaining to social justice, which, as she explains, transcends mere words," he adds.
About Roberta Soares
Roberta Soares is an assistant professor in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the Faculty of Education. She earned undergraduate degrees in business administration and, social sciences, and a master's degree in sociology in Brazil. After completing her PhD in educational sciences at the University of Montreal, she was a postdoctoral fellow in sociology at the University of Ottawa, supported by the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec 鈥 Soci茅t茅 et culture (FRQSC). Her recent publications include Plans d鈥檃ction 脡quit茅, Diversit茅 et Inclusion (EDI) dans les universit茅s qu茅b茅coises: portrait et pistes de r茅flexions et d鈥檃ction (2024); and Les r茅cits de deux doctorantes immigrantes en 茅ducation 脿 Montr茅al : d茅fis, strat茅gies personnelles et suggestions de mesures institutionnelles (2024).
