ABOUT

Hey, Y’all…

Welcome! I'm Terza Silva Lima-Neves, though most people know me as Dr. T.

I am an interdisciplinary scholar, educator, author, and public intellectual whose work explores identity, gender, the African diaspora, and community through the lens of Cabo Verde. I am driven by a simple but enduring question: How do communities tell their own stories, preserve what matters, and define themselves in a changing world? By centering Cabo Verde and the everyday experiences of African and Black women, my work examines how history, memory, power, and belonging shape individual and collective identities, offering new ways of understanding leadership, agency, and the global African diaspora.

I was born and raised in Cabo Verde, a West African island nation, and immigrated to the United States as a teenager with my parents and siblings. Like many immigrants, I often found myself explaining where Cabo Verde was, why our history mattered, and how we fit within conversations about Africa and the African diaspora. Those experiences shaped not only my identity but also the questions that continue to guide my work today.

Growing up, I admired national figures such as Amílcar Cabral and my great-aunt, Isaura Gomes, but I was equally inspired by the other women in my own family—my grandmother, my mother, my aunts—and the countless ordinary people whose everyday acts of leadership, caregiving, and community building rarely make it into history books. Their stories taught me that politics happens not only in government but also in homes, neighborhoods, schools, and communities. That belief continues to shape my research, teaching, and public engagement.

As a professor, my goal is to help students see themselves not only as learners but also as scholars, leaders, and engaged citizens. Over the past two decades, I have mentored hundreds of students, guided undergraduate research, led study abroad programs in Cabo Verde, accompanied students to academic conferences, and created opportunities for experiential learning through community engagement. As Co-Director of the Smith Davidson Leadership Initiative, I also work with students to develop leadership skills, connect with internships, and prepare for meaningful careers in public service and beyond.

Beyond the classroom, I believe scholarship should be accessible and connected to the communities it serves. I am the editor of Cabo Verdeans in the United States: 21st Century Critical Perspectives (2024) and the principal editor of Cabo Verdean Women Writing Remembrance, Resilience, and Revolution: Kriolas Poderozas (2021). I also co-founded the Poderoza International Conference on Cabo Verdean Women, which brings together scholars, artists, activists, students, and community members to celebrate, document, and examine the lives and contributions of Cabo Verdean women.

I regularly deliver keynote addresses, workshops, and presentations on leadership, higher education, belonging, cultural competency, and the African diaspora. My work has been featured in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Women in Higher Education, and other publications, and I have been honored by organizations in both the United States and Cabo Verde for my contributions to education, scholarship, and community engagement.

Above all, I believe scholarship should create possibilities. Whether I am conducting research, mentoring students, organizing conferences, leading study abroad programs, or speaking with community organizations, my goal is always the same: to connect people, expand whose stories are told, and help others recognize that their experiences matter.

When I'm not teaching or writing, you'll usually find me traveling, spending time with my husband, Luis, and our children, or dreaming up the next project that brings scholarship and community together.