Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Hello! My name is Juana Inés, and I want to tell you my story. I was born on a farm in a place called New Spain, which is now the country of Mexico, around the year 1648. Even when I was very little, my biggest love was books! I would sneak into my grandfather’s library and try to read everything I could see. I learned to read when I was only three years old. While other children played outside, I loved to spend my days lost in stories and ideas. I knew, even then, that I wanted to spend my whole life learning.

When I was a teenager, I moved to the big, bustling Mexico City. Word spread that I knew a lot for my age, and soon I was invited to live in the palace of the leaders of New Spain. In 1664, I became a lady-in-waiting to the viceroy's wife. The viceroy wanted to see if I was really as smart as people said, so he invited many wise professors to ask me hard questions about science, music, and history. I answered every single one! They were all so surprised. At the palace, I wrote many poems and became known for my clever words.

In those days, women were expected to get married and have a family. But I wanted something different. I wanted to keep studying and writing. So, in 1669, I made a big decision: I became a nun. I joined the Convent of Saint Jerome. This might sound strange, but for me, it was the perfect choice! As a nun, I didn't have to marry, and I could have my own room to fill with all my treasures. I collected over 4,000 books, along with maps, globes, and scientific instruments. My room at the convent was my own special university where I could read, write, and think all day long.

I wrote plays, poems, and even music. But some people thought that women shouldn't spend their time studying and writing. They thought it wasn't a woman's place. I disagreed! In 1691, I wrote a very famous letter called 'The Answer,' where I explained why it is so important for women to have the right to an education. I believed that everyone, girls and boys, should be allowed to learn and share their ideas with the world. I used my voice to stand up for what I knew was right.

In 1695, a terrible sickness spread through Mexico City and came to my convent. I spent my days caring for my sisters who were ill, but soon I became sick, too. I lived to be about 47 years old. Even though my life ended, my words did not. My poems and writings are still read today by people all over the world. I am remembered as one of the very first great writers of the Americas and as someone who believed in the power of knowledge for everyone, especially for women.