Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Hello. My name is Juana Inés, but history remembers me as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. My story begins on November 12th, 1648, in a small village in what was then called New Spain, the country we now know as Mexico. From my earliest days, I was filled with a deep love for learning. When I was only three years old, I would secretly follow my older sister to her lessons. In my grandfather's library, surrounded by the quiet magic of books, I taught myself to read. My hunger for knowledge was so great that I begged my mother to let me go to the university. At that time, girls were not allowed to attend, so I even asked if I could dress up as a boy, just so I could have the chance to learn.

As I grew older, my desire to study only became stronger, so I moved to the bustling Mexico City. Around the year 1664, word of my intelligence spread, and I was invited to live at the court of the viceroy, who was the leader of New Spain. To see if the stories about me were true, the viceroy held an incredible event. He invited forty of the most brilliant professors and scholars from the university to test me. They gathered in a grand room and asked me questions about everything you can imagine—difficult math problems, the science of the stars, moments in history, and the rules of music. I stood before them and answered every single question they asked, and everyone in the room was amazed by what a young woman could know.

As a young woman, I faced a difficult choice that many others did not. I could either get married, which was expected, or find another way to continue my studies. For me, the choice was clear. My heart belonged to my books and my writing. I decided to become a nun because it was the only path that would allow me a life dedicated to learning. In 1669, I joined the Convent of Saint Jerome. My small room, which was called a cell, became my entire world. I turned it into a magnificent library and study. I filled it with over 4,000 books, along with maps of the world, globes, and all sorts of scientific instruments for my experiments and observations.

In the peace of my study, I spent my days writing. I wrote beautiful poems, exciting plays for the stage, and thoughtful essays about important ideas. However, not everyone was pleased with my work. Some powerful men in the church believed that women should not spend their time on serious subjects like science or philosophy. In 1691, after a bishop criticized me, I wrote the most important letter of my life. It was called the 'Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz', which means 'Reply to Sister Filotea'. In this letter, I passionately defended my love for learning. I argued that all women have a right to an education, which was a very brave and bold idea for that time.

Near the end of my life, I was pressured to give up the things I loved most, and I had to part with my beloved library. I dedicated my final years to caring for my sisters in the convent. In 1695, a terrible sickness spread through our city. While I was nursing the sick, I caught the illness myself and passed away. I lived to be 46 years old. Today, I am remembered as one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language and am often called 'The Tenth Muse.' My story continues to inspire people, especially young girls, to follow their curiosity, to ask questions, and to always believe in their right to learn.