Luana Reis

Luana Reis is a Lecturer in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Princeton University, where she contributes to the academic and cultural life through teaching, research, and leadership. She is also affiliated with the Department of African American Studies and various interdisciplinary initiatives focused on Black diasporic cultures and social justice.

Education:

• PhD Candidate in Spanish and Portuguese, University of Pittsburgh (Certificates in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies; Latin American Studies)
• MA in Spanish and Portuguese, University of Pittsburgh
• MA in Language and Culture, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Brazil
• BA in English and Portuguese Language and Literature, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), Brazil

Her research and artistic work center on Black Diasporic and African Literature, Black Women Literature, Comparative Afro-diasporic Culture, Poetry and Poetics, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Quilombos/Maroon Communities, and Language and Linguistics. She employs interdisciplinary and feminist methodologies to explore the intersections of race, gender, language, and resistance in Lusophone and Hispanic contexts.

The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trajectory in feminist translation, anthology curation, and critical pedagogy. Her work bridges academic scholarship with artistic expression, particularly in amplifying Black women’s voices across the African diaspora. Themes of identity, resistance, language empowerment, and social justice recur throughout her articles and creative outputs.

Scientific Awards:

• Fulbright FLTA Fellowship (2013–2014)
• Excellence in Teaching Portuguese in the United States (AOTP, 2017)
• AOTP Award for Academic Publication (2018)
• K Leroy Irvis Inspiring Leadership Award (2024)

Luana Reis has secured significant funding through fellowships such as the Immersive Dissertation Research Fellowship (Humanities Engage/Andrew W. Mellon), Andrew W. Mellon Predoctoral Fellowship, and Provost’s Dissertation Fellowship for Historically Underrepresented Doctoral Students. She has advised and mentored students through creative and academic initiatives, particularly via the AddVerse poetry organization, which she founded to foster artistic expression and social justice. She has also directed national programs like ENNEP, promoting Black narratives in the Portuguese-speaking world.

She is actively involved in community-building and scholarly collectives, including the Kilomba Collective, a Black feminist organization, and serves on the MLA Executive Council (2024–2028). She has been a resident artist at the Pittsburgh Latinx Artist Residency and collaborates widely across academic, artistic, and public platforms.