Tonia Wind, Ph.D.
Area(s) of Expertise: Hispanic and Lusophone Studies; African Diaspora Religions; Black Women’s Literature of the Americas; Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies; Translation Studies; Race, Gender, and Women’s Studies.
Overview
Before joining the University of North Georgia in August 2026 as Language Lab Director and Lecturer of Spanish, I held such positions as Lecturer of Portuguese and Lusophone Studies at Cardiff University in the UK, Portuguese Language Program Director and Professorial Lecturer of Portuguese and Spanish at American University, DC, and Assistant Professor of English as the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás, Brazil. A US/UK dual national, I was raised in both countries and have lived and worked internationally in Higher Education and the corporate world for more than twenty years in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Throughout my career, I have taught Spanish, Portuguese, English as a Foreign Language, translation, and intercultural studies at universities in the United States, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. I have also held leadership roles in language program administration, student recruitment, and international engagement, and is passionate about creating inclusive, engaging learning environments that help students develop linguistic proficiency, intercultural competence, and the confidence to thrive in an increasingly global world.
Education
- Ph.D. in Romance Languages (Portuguese & Spanish - Literatures and Cultures) from the University of Georgia (UGA), 2014
- Graduate Certificate in Latin American Studies from the Latin American Institute at the University of Georgia (UGA), 2014
- MA in Literature and Literary Criticism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Goias (PUC Goias), Brazil, 2012
- BA in Spanish (commerce) and English (minor) from Georgia State University, 1999
Level 5 Diploma in TEFL, The TEFL Academy, 2025
Research/Special Interests
Interdisciplinary scholar of Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Latinx, and Afro-Caribbean literary and cultural studies, with particular focus on African Diaspora religions, gender, and decolonial theory. My work involves comparative and transnational frameworks to examine memory, spirituality, and identity across the Black Atlantic. I teach Portuguese and Spanish language, literature, and culture at all levels, alongside Academic English, TEFL, and translation studies. My pedagogy is grounded in inclusive, student-centered practice and reflects a sustained commitment to equity, intercultural competence, and global engagement.
Outside of work, Tonia enjoys traveling and immersing herself in different cultures, as well as strength training and participating in group fitness classes at the gym. She has a particular love of Latin American music and rarely misses an opportunity to take a Zumba class.
Publications
Black Women’s Literature of the Americas: Griots and Goddesses. London: Routledge, 2021; paperback 2023.
Mosaicos de cultura de leitura e desafios da tradução na literatura infantil. São Paulo: Paco Editorial, 2015.
Peer-Reviewed Chapters
“Oral Tradition and Cultures in Dialogue: Ondjango Angolano and Jongo da Serrinha”. IN: Battle Traditions of Insult: Africana Verbal Arts, Song-Poetry, and Performance. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2023; paperback 2024.
“Pós-colonialidade e religiosidade em O Outro Pé da Sereia de Mia Couto.” IN: Pesquisa em Linguagem 3, Ed 1. Vol. 3, 90. Joinville: Sucesso Pocket, 2015.
Peer-Reviewed Articles
“Uma breve caminhada pela tradução literária: mediando palavras e culturas.” Revista Letras Raras. 2014: v.5, 93-111.
Work in Progress
“Revolutionary Republics of the Sacred: Black Women’s Literature, African Diaspora Religions, and the Politics of Freedom in the Americas” (accepted, LASA 2026).
“Between Tongues and Spirits: Multilingual Resistance and Decolonial Voices in Afro-Brazilian and Mozambican Women’s Literature” (under review, 2026).
Literary Translations
“Sortes de Villamor.” IN: Revista Literária Machado de Assis. Sao Paulo: Fundação Biblioteca Nacional e Instituto Itaú Cultural, 2013.
Jesus in the Home. Rio de Janeiro, Federação Espírita Brasileira, 2010.
Our Father. Rio de Janeiro, Federação Espírita Brasileira, 2009.
Workers of the Life Eternal. Rio de Janeiro: Federacao Espirita Brasileira, 2008.